Let's Back Up
by Juupitrie
Summary: "Naruto, do you even know what a 'backup spouse' is?" "Of course I do!" "Well, then, you're a jerk!" "Ok…wait, I lied. I don't get it, I guess…" NaruHina
1. Chapter 1

***~Let's Back Up~***

**By Vi**

A/N: For a while now, I've been making and reading NaruHina like because I love reading and making up ideas to make this couple realistically work…then I realized, when it's realistically worked out…this couple isn't FUN. I love this pairing so much because although it'll possibly turn out that they'll end up together, there's still that strange gap between personalities that make them so-damn-interesting!! A NORMAL way for them to get together is not enough!! Anyway I Felt ambitious, and I actually_ finished_ this story—that's right! I'm done with it—edited it in a rush, but definitely done. Even though I'm done, reviews are always appreciated~!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Besides, even if I did, I'd probably make it into a terrible Romantic Comedy….OoOoOoOoh, just like this FAN fiction. Come on, people, if I were the creator would I really be posting this stuff on FAN fiction dot net? Think about that.

Summary: "Naruto, do you even know what a 'backup spouse' _is_?" "Of course I do!" "Well, then you're a jerk!" "Ok…wait, I lied. I don't get it, I _guess_…" (NaruHina)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Naruto was never good at fully understanding anything that was complex. From complex emotions to complex plans for a mission, this boy just got out the bits of imformation he thought he needed before tackling the thing head on. Maybe that's why he survived as a ninja--with his non traditional fighting style and his abrupt bluntness of things. However, the biggest misunderstanding of a complex plan that Naruto totally rearranged in his head was the plan called a 'Back up Spouse'.

It all started when Kiba dragged Naruto, Sakura, and Sai into the Konoha hospital. The dog nin was unusually hyper and happy that day, and it didn't take long for them to guess that Kurenai sensei had _finally_ had her baby. Despite the terrible Akatsuki attacks just a few months ago, the arrival of the baby definitely put some needed spirit into the air.

"He's just so _cute_." Kiba said, Naruto snickered at the out-of-place word, while Sakura clasped her hands and started awing. "I just can't believe he got so cute so fast—I mean, the time he was fresh out of the womb—all sticky all over, and red in the face… I mean. Ew. Just ew."

"That must mean you must've looked horrendous when you were born." Sai said in his oblivious voice, "For you still have red on your face."

"This is face paint you moron." Snapped Kiba, he even made it a point by smudging his fingers through it—something he usually doesn't get offended over. His mood quickly changed as he motioned for everyone to hurry up as he bounded up the stairs.

"I don't understand. Why must you use face paint? Paint is for paper. Is your skin that dry..?"

"Just shut up and get in." snapped Kiba, stopping almost abruptly and pointed toward a hall way that led into a brightly lit room.

"Oh, she got a nicer room." Sakura stated happily, as she stepped into the hallway. "This is where special members of the council get their treatment."

"That's thanks to Hinata." Bragged Kiba outright, "She convinced the head of the hospital with her sweet talk…but I'm sure her family's influence helped play a role in getting this room. I hear Hinata herself was born here." He chatted just before opening the glass door that let all the warm light into the hallway. Once opened, they heard the laughter of two happy women—a very good sound that hummed in the air even after it stopped to recognize their new guests.

"Naruto-kun! Sakura-san! Sai-san!" Hinata greeted standing up very slowly. It turned out she was holding the new-born; Kurenai-sensei and the late Asuma sensei's son, Kouta Sarutobi.

"What good timing!" the new mother, who looked slightly odd without her signature red lipstick and thick mascara, said as she snuggled deeper into her large pillows. "Kouta just woke up, we don't have to use in-side voices. Not that that stops us." She turned toward her favorite student and winked while Hinata shook her head almost guiltily.

"We should try to be quieter…for Kouta's sake." Hinata's soft voice said, glancing at the baby in her arms.

"Haha! Right!" Kiba said loudly, plopping himself next to his teacher and already starting an in-depth conversation with her, while the rest of Team eight started to huddle around the shy heiress to see the new baby.

"I heard Shikamaru talking about him. I can see what the hype is all about." Sakura said, though—strangely enough her words sounded like it would come from Sakura, her very tone of voice had sweetened so much, it was unrecognizable. Naruto had to narrow his eyes and give the pink-haired girl a look before looking back at the baby. Why are women so weird around babies?

"Oh I know." Hinata said breathlessly, "He's _beautiful_. I just can't wait to have my own."

When Naruto looked at Hinata, it was with more respect. She looked absolutely beautiful herself, as her eyes twinkled and her lips curved into a content smile. She just looked so happy—he would always remember her face as she stared down at the infant. She patted the baby's stomach affectionately before looking up and catching Naruto's eye, blushing a bright red before dragging her eyes away from his to look at Sakura.

"Would you like to hold him?"

Sakura was _squirming_. "Can I? I mean—he looks so delicate."

"He's _soft_." Kiba piped up from where he sat. "And hey—I got to hold him, so why not a brute like you?"

"Kiba." Kurenai warned before Sakura could scream words back at him, "Sakura of course you can hold him. Hinata'll make sure you hold him right. She actually had to re-teach _me_ several times." She added with a blush as she shook her head.

"Hey, if it makes you feel any better, Sensei. She had to teach me too." Kiba grinned as his teacher playfully socked him in the shoulder.

Sakura held her arms out almost too willingly and her eyes lightened up as the squirming child came closer. Hinata positioned her arms before laying the baby on top, and Sakura's only response was a long, drawn-out 'awwww'.

"Shino-kun even took off his sun glasses off, he thought it'll scare Kouta." Hinata said.

"No way!" Sakura gasped, "Did he look weird?"

"He actually has very handsome eyes." Kurenai sensei piped up. "Sort of Hazel-green."

"Awwww, I missed it!" Naruto groaned aloud.

"I don't understand this 'hazel-green'… is it Hazel, or green?" Sai said, intrigued more by the color of Shino's eyes than he was to the baby—in fact, Naruto recalled that the stoic boy actually shrugged when he saw Kouta, as if saying—'what's the big deal?'

"Both, duh." Naruto snapped before turning away to look at the baby, trying to find what part looked more like Kurenai, or Asuma. He always had difficulties before, but it seemed to blossom right before his eyes as the baby scrunched it's face. The baby definitely had Asuma's 'when can I get a smoke' face. Naruto inwardly chuckled.

"Both…. Hazel…and green? Like… like throw up?" Sai blurted.

"Sai-san, repeat what you just said in your head, and I'm sure you'll want to take that back." Hinata said softly.

Sai fell into silence, obviously taking Hinata's advice before he blurted, to everyone's surprise. "I apologize."

This actually made Sakura and Naruto look up and gape over at their oblivious stand-in partner.

"I meant to say 'like the edge of a turning leaf'."

"How poetic." Kurenai said, impressed.

"That was good?" Sai said turning almost excitedly toward everyone else. His strong point was never poetry or anything that had to do with literature. "I—I must write this down!" for the first time in a long time, he looked seriously happy, and without even checking his Ninja pockets for his usual rolls of parchment—he scampered out of the door.

"Ugh. He's going to get lost up here." Sakura groaned. "I'll chase after him. Can someone take Kouta?"

"I will!" Naruto volunteered.

"No way! Kurenai-sensei, thank you so much for letting us come and see him. He's just beautiful." Sakura gracefully handed the child toward the new mother.

"Thank you Sakura-san." Kurenai blushed as she pulled her baby into her arms.

"Heeeey~! Why couldn't I hold him?" pouted the orange-clad ninja as Sakura brushed passed him and ran after Sai. "Kurenai-sensei…"

"He's actually getting kinda sleepy." Kurenai explained almost apologetically.

"Yeah, give him a break, Naruto." Kiba said in a joking manner, but Naruto still wasn't pleased as he pouted and sat himself down on the bench next to Kiba. He didn't realize it till now—but he's _neve__r _held a baby in his life.

"I need practice too, for when I have kids." Naruto muttered.

"Heh. You having kids. That's funny." Kiba taunted, while Hinata, suddenly feeling awkward played with her fingers.

"Yeah!" Naruto almost shouted, only to be shushed by Kurenai. "I'm going to have ten kids when I'm Hokage." He said this a little quieter, but the impact of the words caused yet another uproar, this time, from Kiba.

"HA! What? You too? Hinata said the same thing today!" he flung his head back and laughed while Naruto snapped his gaze back on the quiet girl with a new interest sparkling in his eyes.

Hinata, now red in the face pulled her hands up in a defensive mode—shrinking into her jacket as she shook her head. "N-No! That was—and I mean—I-- Kiba-kun! Shhhh!"

"Huh? Wha—oh." Kiba looked at Kurenai sensei who was glaring at him as Kouta started to finally fuss.

"Since you couldn't shut your trap. Here, shush him." Kurenai announced and placed the baby in Kiba's care. "Don't come back in here till he's asleep, you hear?"

"Aaah, but my sensitive ears, Sensei…" Kiba whined, but with another death glare, he sighed and took the baby before turning toward the glass doors.

During the duration of the baby's outburst and Kiba's endless taunts, Naruto's eyes were glued to Hinata's blushing face—as if he was in a trance.

"Ah—" Hinata felt the gaze and couldn't stand them there. "I was just, speaking out of…I wasn't really even thinking about how many kids I want...It was a joke."

"It's true, Naruto. This girl changed her mind, saying she only wanted _five_." Snickered Kurenai, Hinata rounded up on her teacher, shocked and completely at loss for words. She could excuse Kiba's horrendous behavior, because—heh, well, that was just him, but she wasn't expecting her teacher to be on his side.

"That's so _COOL_! I'd kill to have that many! Oh!" Naruto shot out of his seat. "I just remembered something _GREAT!"_

He scampered over toward her and gripped Hinata by the shoulders with such raw excitement pouring off of his smile that it made Hinata _very_ nervous.

"Wh-What?"

"Hinata, do you know what a back up is?"

Naruto and Hinata both didn't catch the look of horror cross Kurenai's face the moment Naruto popped the question.

"A-A plan or a copy that something or someone could fall back on…?"

"Exactly! A _plan_. Everyone has back ups—and I just realized that YOU are _my_ perfect back up!"

Hinata was stumped. "I'm sorry, I don't think I understand."

"It means, when we turn a certain age, and we're not married already, we marry each other—just so we can accomplish our goal of having five kids minimum!"

Hinata finally realized exactly what kind of 'backup' Naruto was talking about, and gaped like a fish.

"Y-y-y-you m-m-mean a b-ba-backup S-s-sp-sp-spouse?"

"YEAH! Oh so you have heard of it! Kakashi-sensei just gave me a brief explaining yesterday." Naruto touched his chest in a sign of relief. "Thank god he told me yesterday or else I would've totally forgotten about 'backup spouses' and all that sort!"

Hinata was torn.

She had dreamed of something _similar_ to this. Of course, she wasn't being asked to be a backup but was asked to just right-out marry him. Being the second choice was a terrible, _terrible_ feeling—especially when you want so desperately to be the first choice that...Hinata didn't know how to answer. She wanted so badly for Naruto to acknowledge her…she just couldn't see herself turning this 'offer' down without turning him down as a potential boyfriend all together. All her dreams were on the line in her next few words…

"So, how about it? Would you be my backup spouse?"

Hinata held her breath.

She wanted to cry.

She wanted to laugh.

She desperately wanted to say no _and_ yes.

Was 'can I think about this' appropriate in a situation like this? Would it just make Naruto forget about it… it probably would, and then she'd feel stupid for bringing the subject up again.

"Sure." Hinata breathed out, and this time she saw Kurenai smack her forehead loudly.

"Great! Ah! It's like I got this weight off my chest! Now we just got to choose a year. When do you think I'll become Hokage, 'cause I was thinking I would like to be a ninja for the next five years before being stuck with paper work for a while…"

Hinata wasn't even listening, she suddenly felt—glum. It was the only word to express her total and utter emptiness that was resting so snugly in her stomach. She had just literally cut the invisible red string that she fantasized was connected between her pinky and Naruto's. It was also crushing for Kurenai to see, that she just had to step in.

"I need to get dressed now, Naruto—can you go?" Kurenai said.

"Oh, yeah, yeah—sure! Hey, see ya around, 'back up'!" he grinned at Hinata before waving merrily and bouncing out of the room.

The moment the glass doors were shut, and there was definite evidence that the orange-clad ninja was a good distance away, Hinata burst into tears.

"Oh sweetie…" Kurenai cooed, "He's just really dense, I'm pretty sure he doesn't realize…"

"That's just it." Hinata sniffed. "He doesn't realize what he does to me. He—He doesn't care."

"That's not true… oh, sweetie…"

It was then that Kiba came into the room and snorted.

"Do I have to 'shush' this baby too?"

Kurenai responded with a death glare.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

To be continued. Indefinitely.


	2. Chapter 2

**Let's Back Up**

**By vi**

A/N: God DAMMIT! If Hinata doesn't show her face in the manga—so help me, I will fry up all the magic beans in the world and feed it to my dog! URGGGGG!!!

* * *

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hinata's wave of disappointment passed once she realized how ridiculous the very concepts of backups were.

First of all, she was sixteen almost seventeen, a prime age when the elders of her clan dug through the Hyuuga family tree to find an appropriate distant relative spouse. She knew from the moment she turned 'of age' that she would never marry the one she truly loved. It was a reality she pushed to the farthest corner of her mind… the fact that she had a 'backup' meant nothing for a Hyuuga who would usually get married and settled by the time they were twenty.

Second, Naruto was not only forgetful, but Kurenai made her feel better by stating that he probably didn't even understand the whole idea of a backup plan. In shorter words, he was really, really dense. He obviously didn't want to make Hinata feel miserable, he wasn't that kind of person. He simply was running with the idea that he didn't want to be alone, and possibly—he thought that Hinata had that in mind also. Nothing was wrong with that, in fact, it was rather sweet of him.

"He'll probably forget the whole thing. You won't have to worry about uncomfortable situations with him…" Kurenai said as she patted the last of Hinata's tears off of her face.

Kiba, who overheard the whole thing, pessimistically snorted in his little corner, "Yeah, it's already uncomfortable _enough_. What with all that _stuttering_. Hinata, you just got to pretend it never happened—pretend you're not even interested, or whatever."

Kurenai finally had it and turned toward her other student and threw what looked like an empty tea can at him which hit him square on his forehead protector. Kiba made a sound that resembled a honk from an injured duck, as the can hit him square in the face.

Hinata wiped her tears gingerly, "I think I'll take Kiba-kun's advice, Kurenai sensei."

The two stared at the pale-eyed heiress.

"Maybe this was what I needed to hear from him… you know, to get over him." Hinata forced a smile.

It was a week after that 'back up' incident in the hospital, and she was now completely healed—

Or so she thought.

"Hinata!"

She whipped around, and a smile broke across her face as she raised her hand and waved at her good friend Ino Yamanaka.

"Hello Ino-chan."

"Do you have a mirror?" she blurted, as she jogged up toward her.

"Uh, no, sorry."

"That's fine, can I just get an honest opinion?" Ino asked and poked at her neck. "Is it visible?"

Hinata looked at her neck and squeaked in shock. There were series of red spots that dotted her friend's neck, it looked like delicate splotches of paint were smeared across her skin. "Y-Yes, very. What happened, are you ok?"

"Oh yeah. This." the blonde rolled her eyes and rubbed her neck with a sigh. "I just—my dad just called me to watch the flower shop on my _day off_." She rolled her eyes yet again and waving her free hand in the air for exaggeration. "I need to cover my hickies."

Hinata's eyes widened but she quickly shrugged her shock away. After all, Ino had tons of experience when it came to those types of things.

"Um…" Ino said, looking meekly at Hinata all of the sudden. "Will you do me a favor?"

"Anything, Ino-chan."

"Can I borrow your jacket?"

"Uh…"

"I just _really_ need to cover my neck! I mean, even you said so! It's so bad! I don't own anything that can keep it completely covered! My dad'll just freak out!"

"Do you think it'll cover—"

"Oh please, Hinata, that jacket covers everything you have—I'm sure it'll…" she saw the look that Hinata was giving her and quickly changed her course of words, "oh, sorry—"

Hinata reluctantly zipped herself out of the jacket and passed it over to Ino, who gave her an apologetic look before shrugging it on herself.

"Oh! It smells so good~!" she hummed and zipped it all the way up to her chin. "How's that? You can't see them, right?"

Hinata frowned as she noticed that yes, she couldn't see it—her coat effectively put a shadow amongst Ino's hicky-ridden neck.

"No. I can't see them."

"Oh thank you so much, Hinata. I owe you one!"

Hinata frowned as she watched her friend and jacket disappear from her sight a split second later. She sighed and drew her arms around her now bare shoulders. She wore a very simplistic tank top that day, and it was a mistake if she knew that her jacket would be borrowed off to a desperate friend. She continued to walk down toward her team's meeting grounds.

They were intending to do practice jutsu today, but when her jacket was amiss, she felt she was mal-prepared. Should she just call it quits?

"Hinata!" Kiba called, and Hinata turned toward the voice with a depserate look on her face—already opening her mouth to explain her plan to run back home to pick up a sweater of some sort. However, her plea died the moment her eyes caught sight of the orange ninja walking right next to the canine duo.

"Kiba-kun, Akamaru-chan." Hinata acknowledged with a bow. "N-Naruto-kun."

"You look comfy today." Kiba stated as he observed his fellow teammate. Akamaru barked in agreement.

"Yeah," Naruto said, looking Hinata up and down as well. "You look a lot smaller."

"Ohhh, you ditched the jacket. Good, good—Naruto's training with us, so it's gonna be really messy."

"Hey!" Naruto shouted, but he didn't sound so offended.

Hinata paled visibly, but the two male members didn't even notice. It was Shino's good timing that dragged the attention off of Hinata while her cheeks turned into an embarrassing red.

"Hi." He greeted, acknowledging all the members with a nod. "Are we ready?"

"Hell yeah. Akamaru helped me carry most of the new jutsu scrolls!" Kiba ruffled his companion's head. The large dog was, indeed, carrying an impressive mountain of silk-lined scrolls. They all looked extremely hefty to lift.

"You look mal-prepared." Shino stated blankly as he stared at Hinata and wondered what was amiss.

"I am." Hinata sighed. "Can you guys just train without me? I feel so…lost without my jacket."

"Hey, if you're having jacket-problems, you can always borrow mine." Naruto said as he started to unzip his own jacket.

"Oh, no—No it's ok, Naruto-kun. I don't want to cause any trouble." Hinata brought her hands to her flaming cheeks and shook her head. Kiba, meanwhile was getting tired of being tied back from his training and finally snapped.

"Well just accept the jacket. Naruto only agreed to join us so we can all be equal partners today. If you're gone, what the hell are we gonna do?" Kiba glared, while Akamaru winced at his tone.

Hinata felt selfish all the sudden as she re-wrapped her arms around herself.

"Kiba, that was unnecessary." Shino stepped in, protectively in front of Hinata. Kiba and Shino had a miniature staring contest before Kiba cracked and turned his attention toward his furry companion.

"I agree. Come on, Hinata." Naruto flung his jacket around Hinata's shoulders. She was about to push it off, but it was too late, he was talking—with only his fishnet shirt on--with Kiba. He was obviously trying to ease tension that was rising between the team eight teammates.

Hinata looked at the black sleeves that fell like ribbons from her shoulders. She felt the fabric lightly, almost amazed at the warmth that the simple layer provided before caving into the pressure and slipping one arm through the sleeve. The usually perfect-fit that the jacket provided for Naruto wasn't the case for Hinata. The arms were extremely baggy, dripping over her fingertips. The zipper that ran up the front would've stopped at her nose, so she had to leave it partially open. It looked quite ridiculous, but at least she didn't feel so exposed. She felt better.

She looked up with a content smile and her gaze caught against Naruto's amazing blue eyes.

Shocked that he was staring at her, she quickly looked down to hide her immense blush before muttering a thank you.

"Are we _ready_ now?" Kiba said impatiently, noticing Hinata dressed in Naruto's jacket.

"Yeah." Hinata replied she pulled her long hair out of the collar before rolling up the sleeves to keep her hands ready and exposed.

"Orange looks good on you!" Naruto said excitedly. "That's good, since our family crest will be orange."

Our? Hinata's eyes widened.

"Or _should be_…at least… what do you think about red?"

Hinata's head snapped back up with a pathetic blush smothered over her face and her eyes wide and almost watery.

"W-What?"

"I mean, you know, you're my backup." He playfully nudged her shoulder. Hinata tipped dangerously on her heel at the contact and almost fainted right then and there if it wasn't for Akamaru that nudged her in the small of her back. She squeaked and ran forward, deciding to hide behind Shino.

Hinata was silly to think that Naruto would simply 'forget' about something like that.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

To be continued…indefinitely.


	3. Chapter 3

**Let's back up**

**By vi**

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Naruto's jacket smelled like… well, a man's jacket. It didn't smell good, or bad—just something in between. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't good. Hinata knew she felt extremely embarrassed wearing it, but at the same time...she loved it. It was so warm, the colors reminded her constantly of the man she loved, and yet it was a sore reminder of what Naruto _thought_ of her.

A backup.

That wasn't very romantic at all.

"Kya!" Hinata hastily did a back flip as a fireball nearly grazed the very jacket she was thinking about.

"Shino! Watch out!" screamed Kiba, who had ducked also—but less gracefully, as he shook his fist from his uncomfortable position on the ground.

"It was Naruto's fault." Said the bug nin, pointing almost childishly at the Uzumaki who shrugged and held up smoking palms.

"Guilty as charged." Naruto sang immaturely.

"Hinata was almost fried!" Kiba said pointing at Hinata who now straightened up and made sure Naruto's jacket wasn't burnt.

"I'm ok." Hinata said calmly. She didn't seem as phased as Kiba was as she dusted her backside. She looked up—and for the second time that day, she felt a gaze on her that wasn't supposed to be there—Naruto's eyes. "You're jackets ok, Naruto-kun." She said over toward him.

"I wasn't worried about that." Naruto said with a shake of his head. "Sorry about that." He said in an embarrassed tone, curling his arm behind his head and rubbing his neck apologetically.

"Ack! Can someone help me up? I think you burnt _me_!" Kiba whined, he took Hinata's offered hand and as he straightened onto his back, it turned out his own jacket was, indeed, fried. "AHHH! Mom's going to _kill_ me!" with a desperate look he grabbed Hinata and whined, "_Hinata_!"

"I'll fix it." Hinata simply sighed, "Just remember to give it to me after training."

"Can you make it look like I didn't get _FRIED_ by a total and complete moron?" Kiba turned to glare at Naruto who crossed his arms defensively but put on a more sympathetic look on his face.

"Yes, and let's not fight, ok? You're jacket's only slightly charred, it's not so hard." Hinata said, observing the fabric. She then chuckled, "Maybe we should work on your landings though." She gestured toward the rest of the jacket—that was muddied after the sloppy impact.

"You should be the one to talk." Kiba joked back, "Remember when we were still Genin? 'ohhh~! I fell again~! I think my ankle's sprained!'"

"That was me." Shino said darkly from behind the two of them.

"That was?" Kiba innocently blinked at his best friend's hidden face.

"I wasn't whining though." Shino grumbled.

"We should work on your memory too, Kiba-kun." Hinata giggled.

"Ohhh, snap!" Naruto laughed, appearing next to Hinata all of the sudden.

"I'm going to go home. Here Hinata—it's your lucky day. You get _my_ jacket. Instead of Naruto's." Kiba winked as he shugged off his jacket and handed it to Hinata who sighed and rolled it up in her arms.

"Poor Hinata." Shino deadpanned, making Naruto howl with laughter.

"Shino made a joke! Haha!"

"You guys are all jerks." Kiba snorted as he pointed at each and every one of them. "Come on, Akamaru!"

"I was joking, Kiba-kun!" Hinata said quickly in a pleading tone as Kiba rushed off. Akamaru bounding after him in a rush of mad barking--obviously feeling left behind.

"Don't worry, he knows. He was laughing, I could hear it." Naruto said calmly, taking a hold of her shoulder—it made Hinata tense up. He'd never reached out to her before.

"Does that mean training's over?" Shino asked the two of them.

"We can continue to do some more jutsu if you want, but it's going to get dark soon." Naruto offered.

"I really want to stop by Ino's flower shop before they close." Hinata said softly, rubbing her arm that was coated in Naruto's baggy jacket. "You know, to pick up my jacket."

"Why does she have your jacket?" Naruto asked.

"It's a long story." Hinata waved off. "I do want to go there though, quickly. Can we call it quits?"

"Sure." Shino said with a nod. "Well it was nice of you to train with us, Naruto." He shook Naruto's arms in a rather affectionate way, and it made Hinata smile at their sloppy interaction.

"Yes." Hinata agreed. "Thank you so much, Naruto-kun." Instead of the bold handshake, she simply stood her ground and blushed cutely.

"Awww." Naruto said in an embarrassed tone, "It was nothing, It's actually me who should be thanking you guys… oh, and I really am sorry for that fireball earlier. I hope Kiba's not too angry."

"He's fine. He's probably forgotten about it already." Shino said bluntly. "Well, bye." And with that abrupt good bye, he was gone in a flash of smoke.

That left Naruto and Hinata, alone. Leaving Hinata feeling helpless and filled with anxiety, while Naruto grinned as if this was exactly what he wanted.

"Oh, I'll return your jacket..." Hinata said unzipping his jacket.

"Nah, it's ok. I mean, it's getting kinda chilly, I'd feel guilty taking it away from a girl."

Hinata smiled fondly at him, "Oh Naruto-kun, that's ok. It's your jacket. And I'm going to get mine very soon, anyway." She released herself from the warmth of the jacket and passed over to Naruto. "Th- Thank you though. It was very helpful."

"Why do you even wear jackets?" Naruto asked as he took his jacket in his hands and roughly jabbed his arms through the sleeves. "You look fine without them."

This caused an even madder blush than usual, as Hinata squirmed on the spot. "I- I just don't want to… I'm a little self-cautious, I think."

"Well, when you marry me, I'm sure my lack of self-cautiousness will rub off on you. Be careful!" he joked while Hinata froze over like an ice cube again. Naruto didn't seem to notice this as he merrily zipped himself up.

"Damn, you smell good!" he said with his characteristic grin, "Well, it was fun, Hinata! Say hi to Ino for me!"

And in a blink of an eye, he was gone.

Hinata stood there for a while—rooted in the center of the training ground, staring off into the spot where, just a few seconds ago, her backup stood.

"When?" she repeated softly. "Why does he keep saying 'when' we get married?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**To be continued**…indefinitely.


	4. Chapter 4

**Let's back up**

**By vi**

A/N: Whoa, really dramatic Naruto Chapters this week. Again, no Hinata. UGH.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Because Hinata was _so_ helpful toward me two weeks ago when I had a major crisis on my hands." Ino announced to the rest of her kunoichi friends. "I decided to dedicate this week's get-together toward my good friend! Thank you Hinata for letting me borrow your jacket! It totally worked!"

Hinata blushed while everyone else at the table, Ten ten, Sakura and Ino clapped, though not as enthusiastically as Ino. Ten ten and Sakura seemed to just go along with it in an half-assed manner while Ino was blowing high-pitched wistles. Hinata herself, wasn't all too enthusiastic as she tried to blend in with the other customers in the cafe as she sipped her drink.

"Aaand, I bought you a _present_." Ino sang. She reached under the café's small table and produced a cute dainty bag.

"Oh Ino-chan, you didn't have to do that." Hinata sighed helplessly as the bag was shoved into her arms almost knocking her glass of water off of the table.

"It's just a little something. Open it!" squealed Ino.

Hinata sighed, "If it's expensive, I don't want it." She said—the bag looked pricey enough to suspect that. "It was just a small favor, you can just do—"

"No, I don't want to be relied upon, I much rather spend my hard-earned cash." Ino said bluntly.

Hinata sighed and reached in and pulled out—what looked like elastic thin-ropes.

"Oh! Hair ribbons! I don't feel so guilty excepting these…" Hinata said kindly while Ino laughed out loud.

"You're so CUTE sometimes." the blond shook her head and pulled the 'ribbons' from Hinata's hands and started unraveling it.

"That's a jacket, Hinata." Ten ten giggled.

"Hm?" Hinata watched as Ino stretched out the 'ribbons' and found out it was just a very, very thin jacket, made out of delicate and shiny material. "Ohhh."

"It will show off your curves, and though it's not nearly as warm as your jacket, it's at least _cute_." Ino gushed while she shoved the strange mesh back into Hinata's hands.

"Oh, thank you." Hinata said, a lot quieter. Quite honestly, she would have preferred ribbons for her hair, now that she thought about it.

"Well?" Ino frowned as Hinata started gathering the thin material back into the small bag.

"Hm?"

"Aren't you going to wear it?" Sakura asked, while Ino nodded in agreement.

"Oh, I will." Hinata pulled the bag toward her and started to slowly put the jacket back--when she caught the gazes of her girlfriends, she clearified, "At home."

"Oh come on!" Ten ten whined.

Hinata needed to think up another excuse, she looked at the flimsy fabric and came up with a perfect one, "I just don't think it's my _color_."

"Black isn't your color? Black is everybody's color." Sakura ridiculed.

"Just put it on." Ino said.

"I thought I _owed_ you one. What have I ever done to you?" Hinata muttered in a defeated tone as she unzipped her jacket.

"Oh my GOD!" Sakura gasped out loud and it caused everyone to freeze.

"What? What?" Ino asked, panicked looking around.

"Are my breasts the smallest out of all of yours?" Sakura asked horrified.

"Huh?" Hinata stared down at her chest with a very embarrassed blush before zipping herself back up.

"Hinata, that's a compliment." Ten ten said quickly. "Just put it on."

"No." Hinata said boldly.

"You know if you stop wearing that jacket, maybe Naruto will finally notice you." snapped Ino. This made Hinata tense up completely, and the other two members of the get-together glared at the blond's bad comment. Was that true? Would Naruto notice her if she wasn't so paranoid about covering her body all the time? She didn't need to get reminded about Naruto...she was avoiding him from the time they trained together with the fire-ball incident. She knew she had to talk to him and tell him what a backup was--just to straighten the meaning out in his head. The other girls at the table noticed the hurt and confused look that crossed Hinata's face and both leaned in to glare at Ino.

"H-Hinata..." Ino spoke up, nervously. "I didn't mean it like that, I--"

"Hey! Sakura-chan!" a familiar voice caused everyone to turn toward a bouncing orange-clad ninja. It made Hinata jump in her seat and almost spill her drink.

"Naruto! I told you I was busy today!" the pink haired girl snapped quickly.

"We have a mission." He frowned, but it was quickly replaced with a smile as he looked around at her company. "Whoa, it's all girls. Hey Hinata!" he waved excitedly at Hinata, who in turn shrunk in her seat.

"Well if it's a mission." Grumbled the pink-haired nin as she slowly got up from her seat. She blinked as she watched Naruto nudge closer toward Hinata.

"I was thinking, since your clan symbol is that fire-ball thing, that we should somehow incorporate that, you know?"

Hinata's face went from red to white in that very instant. She looked around at her girlfriends and saw they were completely lost in their conversation, in response to their curious gaze, she got up quickly and without even thinking about how weird it was that she wasn't respecting his personal boundaries--she leaned in and whispered, "Let's talk about this more privately."

"Riiight." Naruto said. "We want it to be a surprise when we present it to everyone."

"If." Hinata emphasized. "IF we present it to everyone."

"Riiight." He rubbed his hands together with a cheshire grin stretching his face. "Come on Sakura, what's taking you so long?" he joked as he waved at the girls and disappeared before Sakura could scream through an eardrum.

"What was that all about?" Ino asked interested as she leaned forward.

"Ahhh! Don't tell them without me!" Sakura begged with a hurried wave of her fingers, gathering her small purse and rushing after Naruto.

"You heard her." Hinata meeped.

"Oh she doesn't mean that." Ten ten dismissed. "'sides, when did you get in talking-terms with the long-time crush?"

"SHHHH! Ten ten!" Hinata hissed in a pleading manner as she shrunk lower in her seat, her chin was almost touching the small table they were sharing, and her pale color was slowly being replaced by yet another blush. "It's nothing! Ok? Let's just let it go."

"Whoaaa, wait, wait, wait. You don't want to talk about it? Does that mean that it's bad news? Hinata, what did Naruto do to you this time?"

Hinata was glad that she had Sakura's absence as a major reason _not_ to answer that question.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**To be continued…duh.**

Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews~!


	5. Chapter 5

Let's back up

By vi

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

For the next month, Hinata was surprised at how many visits she'd gotten by her long-time crush. It was seriously becoming a problem because she was having spaz-attacks during odd hours of the day. The phrase 'what did Naruto do to you this time' was always floating around her head when he appeared out of nowhere and begged for a conversation about their backup plans.

"Where do you want to live?"

"What do you think about me being Hokage?"

"Sometimes I snore, does that bug you?"

Odd things like this, would be answered in kind words—

"I don't mind living anywhere as long as my family's happy…"

"I would be extremely proud of you if you became Hokage, Naruto-kun…"

and,

"I've learned how to sleep through snoring after becoming Kiba's teammate."

These sweet responses were quickly followed by, "Let's talk about this later, perhaps?" in a hopeful manner that would drop the subject completely. Usually it would work, where Naruto would happily nod and then ask for her well-being or simply talk about the random things he had to do that day.

The change in his tone toward her changed dramatically, and Hinata couldn't help but notice, as well as feel slightly worried about it. She still had no courage or rather--the time to tell him the proper meaning of a backup, but when he'd compliment her or say something that would totally make her melt before rushing off--it would change Hinata's perspective on her situation completely.

Just yesterday, their conversation sounded like—

"Hey Hinata! I didn't know you liked to eat here."

They met at a usual eatery that team eight often visited. Hinata was holding a content baby Kouta while Kurenai was spooning some soup into her mouth. Kurenai gave Naruto an almost weary look as he leaned in really close toward Hinata—causing her to almost faint. It was the thought of her supporting Kouta that shook her out of that state.

"Kurenai-sensei and I often visit here on special occasions." Hinata said softly.

"What's the special occasion?"

"Kouta's officially one month old." Hinata said with a smile.

"Ohhh, how is the little guy?" he leaned in closer, but this time Hinata was immune to it as she looked down and fondly shifted the child.

"He just had his lunch and he's very happy."

"He's gotten BIG. That was FAST!" Naruto blinked as he gingerly pushed back the blanket to observe the baby. "He's going to be really tall, like Asuma!" he grinned over at Kurenai who smiled calmly at the answer. "I also didn't know babies could eat Yakisoba."

Hinata and Kurenai both giggled at the comment, "He didn't have Yakisoba, Naruto-kun."

"But…" Naruto frowned, "this place is famous for it's Yakisoba… he didn't order plain rice or something did he?" he scrunched his nose.

Kurenai blinked owlishly at him. "You're kidding me, right?"

"Wha-?"

"Naruto-kun, babies drink milk." Hinata said softly.

"Oh! Duh! I totally forgot." Naruto laughed. "I heard that somewhere! Sorry, I've just never dealt with babies before."

"Oh yes." Kurenai said as she smiled at him kindly. "You didn't get to hold him last time you saw him, huh?"

"Would you like to hold him now?" Hinata asked.

"Uh… I dunno." Naruto started to edge away from the ladies, "I—I mean, I don't wanna drop him. And—well, Sakura-chan is right, I'm really rough and…"

"We're watching you." Kurenai said calmly. Naruto's blue eyes fell on the baby and he rubbed his hands awkwardly on his pants, he peeked up at the new mother and asked--

"Can I?"

"Of course, Naruto-kun." Hinata said sweetly, and for the first time, she saw his eyes lighten and his cheeks flush. He slowly sat down next to Hinata and held out his hands as if being passed a ball.

"Here," Hinata positioned his arms, just like she did for Sakura. "And relax, there we go." She then put Kouta in the crook of his arm and Naruto jumped only slightly when the full weight of the baby was passed over to him.

"Whooaaa. He's light." Naruto whispered, amazingly his voice sounded very soothing. "Hey, Kouta!"

Kouta simply looked over at Hinata and then at Naruto, slightly confused to see a foreign face so quickly, but didn't object to the change as he responded to the greeting by kicking his legs.

"Good job, Naruto." Kurenai grinned, "He doesn't seem to hate you."

"Kurenai-sensei." Hinata lightly scolded.

"Hey! Hey!" Naruto said, his excited voice was slightly muted for Kouta's sake as he nudged Hinata, "I think I want at least two of these guys."

"Coming right up." Kurenai joked. "This is a _restaurant_, Naruto. They don't deliver babies."

"No, Hinata and I are talking about _our_ kids." Naruto said in a smart-ass tone.

Hinata blushed profusely. "Naruto-kun…"

"Like—two boys, and the rest are girls." Naruto rambled, he stopped quickly as he obviously thought of what he said—scrunching his nose and eyes toward the ceiling in a poise that projected intense concentration. "I still have to think about this…"

"You can't _choose_ your gender, Naruto." Kurenai snapped. "It just happens."

"Huh?" it was Naruto's turn to blink owlishly and slowly turned to Hinata to whisper, "What does she mean?"

Hinata gave Naruto a pathetic look. "Naruto-kun…hasn't anyone explained to you how babies are made?"

"Ugh!" Naruto literally jumped away from her. "Yeah, yeah, I know how the baby comes out, if that's what you mean. Ero-sennin told me how babies come out, and I—I'm really really sorry, Kurenai-sensei, but it doesn't sound very fun."

Kurenai snorted and rolled her eyes before taking a sip of her tea. "It wasn't."

"Naruto… you do know how girls get pregnant, don't you?" Hinata squeaked. He's been talking about having children with her for a while, she simply assumed he knew the process. After all, he _did_ have Ero-sennin as his teacher.

"I think so." Naruto said narrowing his eyes. "It has something to do with…" he trailed off and Hinata watched as Naruto's brain tried to switch the subject. She could literally see the gears shift in his head as he spotted the child still snugly happy in his arms and beamed up at her. "Look at how cute Kouta is!"

It was a nice attempt, and she would happily jump on the new subject, but she was seriously worried for Naruto's sake that he didn't know that crucial bit of information.

"Naruto-kun, you seriously don't know how girls get pregnant!" Hinata gasped.

"I think you should ask Tsunade-sama where babies come from, Naruto. It's important. Really." Kurenai agreed, but she couldn't help but grin behind her hand as she watched Hinata's aghast expression as she tried to grasp the table around her and steady herself.

"No it isn't." muttered Naruto childishly, while Kurenai snorted into her tea. "And why Tsunade? Why can't you just tell us how you got Kouta?"

Hinata gasped so loudly it even made Kouta glance over at her. "Naruto-kun!" she was mad-red, and up to her limit and she looked over at her teacher with horror in her eyes before they rolled up and she passed out—cold. Her forehead hit the table loudly as she narrowly missed her own plate of yakisoba.

"Hinata!?" Naruto gaped and panicked for a split second before realizing that Kurenai sensei was chuckling--and didn't seem all that surprised by Hinata's reaction.

"She's fine, she'll be up in a minute or so." Kurenai waved her hands carefully in the air. "About baby-talk… let's handle this efficiently before Hinata wakes up…"

"Uh… ok?"

"Naruto-kun, what do you think about Hinata?" Kurenai said suddenly.

"Does this have to do with making babies?" he narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"It has everything to do with making babies. Jiraiya-sama taught you about sex, at least."

"Yeahhhh." Naruto's face finally tinted pink. "But what does that have to do with anything?"

Kurenai frowned, "It has _everything_ to do with making babies. That's how babies are MADE. Through sex."

"WHAT?" Naruto jumped and looked down at Kouta. "You're lying. I don't—I don't get it."

"Just answer my question. What do you think about Hinata… or, other girls, for that matter?"

"Hinata's super cool, I think she's really gotten strong over the years…"

"Are you attracted to her?"

"Huh?"

"Do you want to have _sex_ with her?" Kurenai reached over to check if Hinata was still out cold by putting a hand on Hinata's cheek.

"I—" Naruto blanched, "I… I don't really think about that too much…"

"Sure you do. All boys do."

Naruto looked down at Kouta. "I mean… no. Not really, I don't think I ever imagine doing stuff like that…at all..."

"Wait, back up. Do you know what _sex_ is?"

"YEAH!" Naruto shouted roughly. "I know what that is! It's just weird, ok? I've never gotten close to a girl enough to even kiss yet! I haven't even thought about where babies come from—it was never _important_."

"It is important, don't you wonder where _you_ came from?"

"Waaaait a minute. Does that mean…Asuma and you..?" he looked down at Kouta and suddenly he was squirming in his seat. "Take him."

"Ugh." Kurenai only responded before pulling her son back into her own arms. "You are such a baby."

"NO! I'm NOT!" Naruto got up defensively. "Are you saying sex causes girls to have babies?"

Kurenai sighed, "Go and talk to Tsunade-sama. She can get down to the nice, sweeter details about that."

"There's sweeter details?" Naruto paled and shook his head. "Waaaait." He pointed toward the knocked-out Hinata. "_Hinata_ knows how babies are made?"

"Of course she does. Every woman knows somewhat."

"And she still wanted ten kids?" Naruto said and slowly a smile crept into his face out of nowhere. "I had no idea she was naughty."

"Naruto." Sighed Kurenai. "Being naughty woman, and having sex—" she waved her index finger, "Totally different."

"I need to talk to Tsunade." Naruto muttered and disappeared just as Hinata finally blinked into consciousness.

"What happened? I had this _really _weird dream or something…" the shy kunoichi whispered as she rubbed her aching forehead.

"That's nice, dear. Can you hold Kouta for me while I finish this?"

"Oh of course!" Hinata said brightly without much care about what happened that caused her to faint.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

To be continued…duhhh

(A/N: Naruto does NOT know how to babies are made according to the shippuden movie, AND that time he was surprised to see Kurenai in her pregnant state. He was like—'you got fat' and was confused. So. Yeah. This isn't being mean to Naruto. He really is an idiot.)


	6. Chapter 6

**Let's back up**

**By vi**

A/N: Hey~! New Chap up, sorry it took a while for me to update this one. Ok, so I was reading my reviews, and I laughed when I realized I offended a few Naruto fans when I said he was an idiot for not knowing where babies came from. I'm sorry-- I didn't mean it THAT way-- It's just, I think he's an idiot for not figuring it out--ESPECIALLY when Jiraiya was his teacher. As a Naruto-fan, I love the fact that Naruto's ignorant--but there's a limit, and that limit comes to Hinata-chan. He shouldn't be ignorant about Hinata because THEY'RE MEANT FOR EACH OTHER! KISHIMOTO~! HAYAKU ANO FUTARI WO ISSHO NI SHITE OKURE!!!!

*ahem* so... anyway, no Naruto chapter this week, huh? Bummer...

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next time Hinata saw Naruto, she wasn't prepared for his particularly tricky back-up question.

"Are you ok if it's me?"

He literally appeared out of nowhere—but had the courtesy to appear out of nowhere when nobody was around. Hinata stood with tipping groceries in the middle of the street, with a sudden question shoved into her face… she could only tense her shoulders and hope he was talking to someone else as she peered around her shoulders.

"Hinata-chan." He said, and Hinata snapped back toward him.

He never called her 'Hinata-chan'.

"Y-Y-Yes?"

"Are you ok with… me?"

"I don't understand the question." She admitted.

"I mean…" Naruto gulped. "Kids. Do you want kids?"

"Yes. Someday." Hinata said truthfully. She gasped and almost dropped her bag of goodies when Naruto suddenly took her shoulders and looked her right in the eye.

"Even if it's with me?"

Hinata blushed quickly before putting a hand on Naruto's chest to calm him down. "Naruto-kun… I don't think you need to worry about that… after all, I'm just your…backup." She hated saying it herself, but it was the best way to actually drop the subject.

"So yeah! We have to talk about this! It might happen!" he took a step closer to her. She squirmed to keep from fainting as she felt his breath on her cheek.

"Exactly, _might_." she squeaked.

"You agreed to be my backup even though you know I wanted to have five kids… so you're ok with me…and you...together like..." he turned his head this time blushing a mad red--his eyes cautiously combing the streets to make sure nobody was around before uttering, "like..._that_?"

Hinata forced herself not to faint by blinking furiously. "Naruto-kun." She breathed out, "I-I…I would love to have your kids. But—I would only do it if _you_ wanted to--a-and when we are--" she stopped herself and stumbled over her words as she realized what she had just said, "IF. _If_ we are ready. You understand?"

Naruto stared at Hinata with wonder. "You'd kiss me?" he asked softly.

Hinata smiled almost fondly up at him, a bright blush still painted permanently on her cheeks. "Of course I would. That's one of the brighter sides of marriage, isn't it? All the free kisses?"

Naruto was speechless, and Hinata smiled at how his mind was wondering far away from where he stood as his face got redder.

"Have you kissed anyone before?" Naruto asked all of the sudden.

"I've kissed… well, some my family members." Hinata looked down, uncomfortable at where the conversation had headed.

"I've only kissed Sasuke." He muttered darkly.

"W-Well," Hinata said, offering a small giggle, "You were envied by all the other girls in class that time."

He snorted.

"I know that you have to like someone to kiss them." Naruto blurted out quickly. "Do you like me?"

"Yes." Hinata said without any hesitation. 'Naruto-kun, I _love_ you.' She wanted to say, but that was just pushing it. "I've liked you since Academy days, you're a very…wonderful friend." She blushed as she looked up at him.

Finally, it seemed, Naruto and Hinata had matching red faces.

"Y…yeah. I…I've always liked you too." Naruto said. He wiped his suddenly extremely sweaty palms on his pants before bringing them up to scratch the back of his head. "I thought you had to like the person you kiss, but I guess you also have to like them to get married…and I'm glad it's going to be you."

Naruto then did the unthinkable. Just as Hinata was about to correct him again, he leaned in and kissed her cheek—a little sloppily--before dashing away.

She had to remember she was carrying eggs, and that fainting was a luxury in such a time…but even then, her knees wobbled the whole way back home.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I don't think Naruto even knows what a 'backup' is." Kurenai said to Hinata seriously a few weeks after the wonderful _kiss_…on the cheek.

"I have a feeling he doesn't know either." Hinata said, putting a hand to her stomach as it did flips as she thought back to the kiss. "He didn't even know how babies were made."

"That's a completely different story." Kurenai nodded, "But Kakashi's usually good at describing things to him. And when he was describing a backup spouse to you, I really thought he knew what he was doing and saying… but now…It just seems like he just proposed to you flat-out."

Hinata blushed and couldn't help but grin, but forced it off of her face. "I know."

"That's not good, Hinata. He's a committed man that doesn't even know commitment. That can be dangerous."

"How?" Hinata gasped.

"For an example… what if he learns from his other male friends what commitment is, or bad rumors of marriage? He'll see you more as a burden if he realizes he doesn't want to marry!"

Hinata frowned, that was true. "But…Naruto-kun would then tell me. He doesn't keep things bottled up…"

"That's true, but you also forget he likes keeping promises." Frowned Kurenai.

"Ah…Well, why are we talking about this?" Hinata muttered, "Father's already talking about marrying me to off to Seijirou-san."

"Oh no." gasped Kurenai. "He didn't. That scrawny little Chuunin?"

"Yes." Hinata didn't even bother to correct her teacher that Seijirou was not 'scrawny'. He was a member of the branch, but was very, very good at using his Byakugan. The main house of the Hyuuga wanted that good quality for themselves, and decided, that though Hinata was a main house member, that there could be a small wiggle room exception for the amazing Seijirou. What was worse, was that he was two years her junior. It was still a big debate whether he should marry Hinata or Hanabi.

"You should just tell your father you agreed to marry Naruto." Kurenai shrugged.

"I couldn't do that. What if Naruto _does_ know what a backup is, and gets offended that I'm putting my life on his shoulders? No…" Hinata shook her head.

"Well, if you need a place to run away, you know my place is always…safe?"

"Oh please, Kurenai-sensei…with Kouta here? Wouldn't my problems make a mess?"

"What are you talking about? You're the only one around here that cleans up anything." Kurenai exclaimed, "I _want_ you out of that cold mansion! Move in with me!"

"You know it's not that easy." Hinata sighed as she fiddled with her fingers. "So, anyway… enough about me… how's Kouta?"

Kurenai opened her mouth to quickly jump back into the subject that Hinata tried to ditch, before giving in and answering the question.

"He's with Shikamaru today."

"Oh, that's nice." Hinata said brightly, she knew her teacher was lacking some serious sleep—and she did look very much rejuvenated

"It is." Kurenai said pleasantly, "Though it's weird—this is the first time he's away from me since he was born—can you believe it was only two months since I had him?"

"Two—really?" Hinata gaped. "It…it just seems… longer."

"It does, doesn't it?" Kurenai smiled contently before crossing her legs and relaxing into her couch. "It's nice enjoying quality time with my favorite student to finally realize that."

Hinata giggled.

"We heard that." Said a voice, and it was no surprise to see Kiba and Shino sauntering in the hallway glaring at the two girls in Kurenai-sensei's living room. They had just delivered the groceries, and were quite a sight as they pouted identically with bags of baby diapers and food piled under their arms.

"What do you expect?" Kurenai snapped, not feeling even slightly ashamed, "Hinata understands me the most, and--you two smell like men!"

"I'd hope so." Shino said crossly, "I'm your second favorite, at least."

"True." Kurenai shrugged.

"HEY!" Kiba shouted. "WHAT? WAIT! Forget it, I'm ditching this joint." Kiba huffed and was about to turn around. He came back to drop off the things in his arms. "You can keep the stupid diapers, but I'm keeping the change."

"You know, if you give me my change, I can quickly make you my second favorite!" Kurenai called after him, but it was too late—he purposefully shut the door with a slam.

"I hope you two both know I love my students equally." Kurenai sensei said warily.

"Yes, of course." Shino said.

"Just don't tell Kiba that." Kurenai sensei smirked.

Hinata giggled. She turned around when she heard the front door open again, and Kiba came back into Kurenai sensei's appartment.

"I heard that." He said, and even though team eight couldn't see him, they could hear the obvious pout in his voice. "Oh! Shoot! I forgot…" He rushed into the living room. "Hinata, Naruto asked me to give you this."

Hinata turned bright red as Kiba produced a crumpled letter from his back pocket and flicked it over to her.

"Oooh." Kurenai teased, "A love letter~!"

"Sensei." Hinata lightly scolded as she pressed the letter to her chest to simply get her emotions straightened out before she could open it.

"I did not know you and Naruto were on actively-talking terms." Shino muttered. "Did I miss something?"

"Nothing important." Kurenai assured but didn't look away from the letter in Hinata's hands.

Finally, Hinata drew a long breath and in a quick motion, like ripping a bandaid, she effectively sliced open the envelope with a hidden kunai and then peaked in to see that there was actually a written letter inside. With shaking fingers, she fumbled with the paper for a while before finally unraveling it and laying her eyes upon it.

It read:

_Hinata-chan,_

_Since you're my official backup, I decided you should know some of my deepest secrets. Meet me by the Academy this Sunday, around lunch._

_Oh, and make sure you tell me some of your deepest secrets too, I won't laugh—I promise._

_Naruto._

Kurenai peeked over Hinata's shoulder and read the message before rolling her eyes, "Like he has any secrets from _you_. You probably know his secrets better than he does."

"Kurenai-sensei." Hinata pouted, "That's not true… this is…" she looked at the letter and felt extremely light-hearted, "Sweet…"

"What'd it say?" Kiba demanded, he too tried to get a peek at the note, but Hinata already stuffed it in her jacket.

"What should I wear?" Hinata suddenly gasped. "Oh god… Ino-chan's right… this jacket's so ugly…"

"Honey," Kurenai sighed, "We've gone over this before… whatever makes you feel comfortable is more than enough."

"That's _it!_ That silly little jacket Ino-chan gave me should work!" Hinata said, totally ignoring Kurenai's words of advice before jumping over the coffee table and scampering out of the apartment.

"Wait." Shino said slowly, he turned away from the slammed door toward Kurenai--his glasses flashing, "She's going to get dressed _up_ for Naruto? When did this happen?"

"Just now, trust me—this isn't going to go that far." Sighed Kurenai. "What with Naruto being such _so_ dense."

Kiba sighed as well. "He's going to make her cry."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

To be continuedddd~!!!

Reviewers: Thanks. I really do appreciate your reviews, and I would love to thank you individually like I used to do in my chapters, but it effects the word count... and I'm pretty sure most of the readers out there are more interested in the story than me constantly thanking people who reviewed over the last chapter. But still--I wish happy cookies and tons of heavenly snacks for those who reviewed, and for many happy NaruHina filled chapters to come!


	7. Chapter 7

Let's Back Up

By Vi

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hinata fidgeted nervously as she looked at herself in the mirror. The mesh-jacket like thing that Ino had got her was literally made from materials that would have made a better tea strainer than a wearable garment.

It wasn't really a jacket, what could she call it—a sweater that left NO room for imagination?

It literally was painted on her, and Kurenai's words floated in her ear as she stared at her figure. "Wear something your comfortable in…"

She looked down at the fabric and simply shook her head… if she was going to dress up, she might as well dress up in something she felt confident in. She simply looked ridiculous in this.

Scandalous and sexy just wasn't her look and she nodded to her reflection before peeling the material off and diving back into her small collection of formal dresses in her wardrobe.

"Too stiff." She lifted a purple Kimono, and pushed it aside. She then found a box and lifted it open to frown yet again to find a black yukata.

"Too morose."

She went through what seemed like every single yukata and kimono that was in her stack of formal wear boxes.

Why couldn't her family just buy dresses like other families?

Why is she dressing up anyway? It's simply a meeting with Naruto about exchanging secrets… maybe the slightly romantic way of inviting her to the meeting via letter was what's driving her so insane about looking prettier.

She sighed, almost loosing hope when a thought struck her.

Her _mother's_ collection.

Her father's new and only praise toward his eldest daughter was that she was the spitting image of her _mother_. And how right he was, if Hinata was to look at her mother's picture, it would be slightly eerie how many attributes she carried.

The lovely raven hair and the full lips, along with the dark lashes that fitted perfectly alongside the flawless lavender eyes. Hinata was never saw herself as remarkable—but she was slowly resembling the very woman who was said to be the _legendary_ Hyuuga beauty.

Maybe Hinata herself wasn't sure what style attributed to her looks, but surely—her mother, who was raised by a main family that loved and cared for her happiness, would surely know how to please herself with fine silks and dresses.

She pursed her lips and slowly rose to her feet, tip toeing across her now disastrous room that was littered with Kimono-boxes before entering the hallway, looking extremely nervous and very guilty along the way. It was a marvel that she wasn't stopped by a relative, she looked especially dangerous as she nervously checked her surroundings before entering her mother's main storage room.

The room was dark, murky, and extremely dusty, with a hint of mildew stink in the air. She hated it there, but with the new mission drilled into her mind, she knew exactly what to do. With her Byakugan activated, she trudged through all the junk to a trunk that looked like it was filled with fabrics.

It wasn't long till she was opening the trunk using blunt force and sighing at gorgeous colors and fabrics underneath.

Thank goodness the clothes weren't harmed with the dust or the mildew smell, it seemed the Hyuugas elders were smart about something, and actually kept some sort of special herbs inside the robes to keep any moths away from the beautiful dresses.

Dresses—not kimonos, but a sweet, long blue dress seemed to stare up at Hinata the minute she kicked the trunk open.

She sighed as she lifted it up—the fabric was stretchy, but the style was very modest—even if it hugged her curves, it would make sure not to flaunt too much cleavage or keep her legs feeling overly-exposed. She only had to look to the trunk's left to see a matching pair of sandals. She showed her outward delight by squealing—actually _squealing_. She hadn't squealed since she was eight.

She didn't even bother to change in her room—she stripped and pulled on the dress right then and there—pulling the cute matching sandals on and rushing to a nearby mirror that was covered half-heartedly with a dusty sheet.

A content sigh hummed in the air as she twisted her upper body to see how the dress complimented her figure. It was simple, clean, and breezy—everything Hinata loved in clothing. Perfect.

Hinata mentally thanked the trunk of clothes before quietly shutting it. She promised herself to check the trunk again later…if she ever had another date with Naruto.

When Hinata walked down the street to the arranged meeting place with Naruto, she was glad that she looked like she was simply enjoying the wonderfully sunny day outside in her mother's lovely summer dress. She wasn't much for explaining to familiar faces that she was obviously dressed up for a date. The dress was very casual, and very _her_…nobody would think it would be weird…would they?

"Da-amn."

Hinata jumped and whirled around to see a group of slightly older Chuunin males looking her up and down from a distance. They grinned when they saw Hinata's shocked face and waved their eyebrows and fingers cheekily.

Blushing madly and suppressing a smile, she turned back toward the road.

That was the first time she got a two-syllable 'damn' by anybody.

Then again, she never dressed up before…not like this.

She then felt dread as she saw the Academy clear in her view. She would feel slightly crushed if Naruto didn't say anything…she'd actually feel worse now that she got a positive comment from total and complete strangers. How awkward would that be if he _did_ compliment her, though? Would it seem like she was asking for a date?

Her train of questions were forced to come to a screeching halt as she saw a very nostalgic sight at the entrance of the Academy.

She pushed the gate open very slowly, her eyes never left the sight of a lone hyperactive ninja sitting on a simple swing. She couldn't help but smile, remembering that he used to go to the swing as his small corner of solitude when he was a child. It was a swing that nobody dared to go near once he touched…but it was also a safe place to sit—angled in such a way that the teachers could spot if he was being bullied. At the same time, the swing offered something to do, and a wonderful place to daydream freely.

On top of that, the swing was angled—in such a way so that you could see the top of the Hokage monuments.

Hinata always wondered if that was one of the daydreams that Naruto dreamed of while in the Academy.

She didn't need to call out for him, for he heard her entering once the gates clattered shut behind her.

She smiled and waved just as he froze momentarily before offering her a sincere smile of his own—picking himself off of the swing and walking toward her casually with his hands in his pockets.

"Hinata." He was now freely looking her up and down. "I've never seen you in a dress before."

Hinata was proud that she didn't blush so hard, this time. "It's my mothers."

"It's really pretty—I mean, on you." Naruto coughed when he realized his throat suddenly felt dry

An immediate smile gracing her features that she couldn't properly hide by simply ducking her head closer to her chest—Naruto grinned openly as well, as Hinata blushed and fidgeted nervously.

"I'm just telling the truth." He said with a shrug, "You don't have to look so embarrassed." He laughed at the last part and made a bold move, as he lifted her chin.

This only embarrassed her more, and a healthy blush dusted her cheeks—her eyes cast downward to keep them away from Naruto's observant gaze.

When his stare lasted for a split second longer than it should have, Hinata finally lifted her gaze from the ground to Naruto's eyes. Where, she was shocked to be instantly drowning in his azure blue pools.

"N-Naruto-kun?"

"Huh? What?" Naruto shook out of his strange trance. "Wow, sorry." He jumped back, his hands tucked securely behind him and away from Hinata's face. "I stopped—thinking, for a second."

'Me too.' Hinata said to herself, mentally.

"Anyway—oh! I'm thinking, after we tell our secrets, we can head out to eat. How does that sound?"

Hinata blushed and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"That sounds wonderful."

She blinked in surprise when Naruto grinned and a blushed for a split second himself before he ran toward the swing and sat on it. He patted the open space next to him.

Hinata calmly walked toward the swing, and was surprised at how much space there still was for another person, and nervously settled her self down next to him—their thighs touching. It didn't seem to bother Naruto very much though, as he grinned at her.

"You ready?"

"For—?"

He pushed off the ground and the swing was suddenly pushed up into the air. Hinata's instant reflex made her grip the swing's rope, while her free hand managed to loop around Naruto's closest arm. Before she could even blush and faint at her position—she was enjoying the calming and relaxing breeze as the wind played with her hair and the swing pushed both Naruto and Hinata back and forth.

"So, like I was saying, secrets." Naruto said, almost in a business-like manner.

"I'm listening." Hinata said, though she was just extremely marveled at how _fun_ swinging was. Was this her first time? She looked around almost eagerly—she was even surprised at how high it came up before it went down.

"I'm the container of the Kyuubi." He said bluntly, waiting for the impact of his words. It didn't come right away—and he frowned, "And…I understand if you don't want to be my backup anymore, Hinata?"

Hinata snapped back at him with a smile he'd never seen her wear before. "Look, Naruto-kun! You can see the Hokage monuments!"

Naruto stared at Hinata. Why was he doing that more now? He was just so shocked to see how bright she looked—everything about her seemed more…intense all of the sudden. Even her cuteness seemed to be magnified.

But that smile must've done something, for his seriousness slipped from him that split second he saw a flash of what looked like dimples on her cheeks.

Hinata had dimples?

Cute.

"I know." He said, transfixed by her brilliant smile. "It's great…"

"The Fourth Hokage, especially." Hinata said, not realizing she was talking free of her stutters. "I always thought he looked so much like you." She trailed off as she stared off—giving a good view of her lovely profile.

Kurenai-sensei's question suddenly trickled into Naruto's mind.

_"Do you like Hinata?"_

Naruto licked his lips.

He could honestly say, that yes—he liked her.

The other question that followed that one—the one about having sex with Hinata… it was suddenly repeating itself in an endless cycle in his mind.

He snapped out of his perverted mode and felt the breeze still and noticed that he and Hinata were high enough to see the top of the Fouth's eyes.

"You're right… he does kinda look like me."

"Right?" Hinata said. "Maybe that's why he sealed the kyuubi into you."

Naruto snapped his gaze toward Hinata. "How did you know that?"

"Hm?" Hinata turned to look back at Naruto, and her shynes returned quite quickly as a blush painted her face. "I-I thought everybody knew that now."

"No." Naruto shook his head. "Not everybody."

"Oh…Well, I think I found out…on my own. Around the same time you went off to train with Jiraiya-sama."

"Wow." Naruto said, quietly impressed. He slowly felt himself daydreaming again, watching Hinata as she enjoyed the breeze the swing provided.

"I never knew swinging could be so fun." Hinata blurted out. "I think this may be my first time."

"WHAT? Seriously?" Naruto gaped.

"I- I didn't play much when I was a kid. I only remember training."

"That's why you're so good at martial arts." Naruto smiled, but frowned when Hinata only sighed.

"Barely. I was always finding excuses to play… I never practiced as hard as Hanabi or Neji."

"But you were a kid! It's normal! And healthy."

"I can see that now, but—" Hinata sighed, "I used to think I was such an odd-ball when I was younger. I felt like the only one being singled out…and downcast…"

Naruto stared at her.

"Swinging is nice." She repeated, a smile on her lips again as she slowly turned toward Naruto.

He turned toward her and nodded, enjoying the silence that quickly encompassed them. He then seemed to finally realize the warm arm that looped around his. He smiled at how Hinata's fingers curled around his sleeve cuffs.

"Is that all the secrets you wanted to tell me?" Hinata asked.

Naruto shrugged, "That was the main one, yeah. I guess I could tell you that I want to be Hokage, but I'm guessing that's no secret."

Hinata laughed softly. "No."

"How about one of your secrets?"

"Hmmm," Hinata pondered aloud, "Ok…"

"You don't have to, if you don't want to."

"No, no… I thought about this… all right. I once ran away from Konoha."

"You—You WHAT?" Naruto gaped.

"Yeah." Hinata nodded, "It was just before my second Chuunin exam. I had a very nasty fight with my father, and he said some things…things that still hurt…"

"What did he say?"

"It's not important."

"I wanna know anyway."

"He said… the usual things to me, that I was weak, and when I fail in the upcoming Chuunin exam… that I would be officially marked as a branch member. I told him I was definitely going to pass, and I wasn't going to let his words hurt me… but it was all an act. I remember packing my things, and running away… only to finally snap out of it, and rush back to Konoha to my team. My team needed me." She smiled, "It made me feel better, that even if my father didn't think I was crucial in our clan… that my teammate did…in a way they became my second family."

She looked over to Naruto and instantly regretted telling her secret.

"Oh Naruto, I'm so sorry—" she blurted out, realizing this must hit him hard—reminding him of Sasuke Uchiha.

"It's ok." Naruto said, he looked up with a genuine smile. "Really. I'm—I'm really glad you told me this."

Hinata felt her arm—the one looped around Naruto, to receive a sudden squeeze. Her fingers were now laced with his and when she looked up, she saw Naruto's blushing face again.

"I want you to know… that when we're married." He paused, "I will never make you unhappy. I'll make sure you'll never want to run away."

Hinata smiled, "I know you wouldn't."

"Yeah." Naruto said softly. "You know me too well, Hinata-chan."

"I- I'm sorry I brought it up. It must be hard. Without Sasuke-san."

"No… No, I'm fine. Really." Naruto said, "I mean—he chose to do it, and he didn't realize that his team was there for him. I wish… I wish he could have snapped out of it, like you did."

"I'm sure he's already realized what great friends he left behind." Hinata looked down to stare at her hand that was linked with Naruto's. "I'm pretty sure Orochimaru isn't great company compared to you and Sakura-san."

Naruto chuckled in agreement. "Hopefully."

Suddenly, a loud grumbling sound filled the air just as the swing swung toward the ground.

"Someone's hungry." Hinata smiled over at Naruto. "Lunch?"

He grinned at her while digging his heels on the ground for the swing to stop. "My treat!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

To be continued~!

(A/N: I just added the 'two-syllable' damn part, because I had to pack away my favorite summer dresses while I wrote this chapter. I was very sad *sigh* i miss their warm splendor...until next year when the sun can actually warm my toes! But on the brighter note; I just LOVE sweaters, hoodies, and turtlenecks! Autumn is totally MY season. Horrah for food and leaves!)


	8. Chapter 8

**Let's Back Up**

**By Vi**

**Author's note: **Sorry I didn't update 0_0'' But I actually have a pretty good reason for being so vacant these past few months. The reason: I thought I lost my fandom on NaruHina entirely when Kishimoto decided to BLOW KONOHAGAKURE UP. Yeahhh, I was a little bummed out, and as most of you know I update after every chapter confirms that things are going smoothly in the Naruto-universe. Well, it turned out that my story was officially AU, and it pissed me off. You can tell I was depressed by the gaping amount of time I didn't update and in serious need of some good news. After reading the latest chapters and finding them a little bit more ACCEPTABLE, I decided—ok, I'll continue to give Naruto a chance—but this is the LAST YEAR. If Kishimoto doesn't make Naruto and Hinata more obvious by the end of 2009, I will officially find myself another pairing and NEVER LOOK BACK ON THIS SERIES AGAIN.

Good reason, right? I know, ya'll were pained. But no worries, I've acknowledged my AU story and it's flaws. Let's carry on.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hinata didn't know why her luck suddenly took a rapid and unexpected sharp turn into the dingy corners of misfortune. Once happily dressed in her mother's old dress and skipping about with her long time crush and now official backup (why was she happy about it all of the sudden?), she now faced her father with a major 'uh-oh' look frozen upon on her face.

Hiashi Hyuuga wasn't exactly a pleasant man. After years of raising Hinata as another member of his clan than his eldest daughter, he developed an almost automatic habit of undermining her for not being devoted _enough_ to the clan. He always held the clan first in his list of priorities, and made sure everyone—especially his two daughters, know their place in his heart.

Now, when he caught his daughter frozen this particular day, he lifted an eyebrow and looked at what she was wearing. It looked familiar, but it didn't exactly trigger a specific memory in his mind, but it _did _remind him of someone—someone _special_.

"Is that your mothers?" he asked bluntly toward her.

Hinata, of course, didn't answer right away. Her mouth quivered before she sucked her lips shut and looked around nervously, wracked with sudden guilt.

"Answer me, girl." Her father calmly crossed his arms in front of his towering chest. What he really wanted to say though—was that she was such a spitting image of her mother…it was _scary_. He just didn't know how to face this girl anymore, she was filled with so much of her mother's sweet qualities.

"Yes, father." Hinata peeped. "It is mother's dress."

"What are you doing in it?"

"W-well…" Hinata started, "I…it…finally fits me…now?" she tentatively lifted a corner of her dress and without even realizing, cutely cocked her head to the side. She saw that her father didn't look very amused and quickly straightened her stance and pinned her arms stiffly to her side and bowed all at once. "I'm sorry! I will put it back where it belongs."

"You will." Hiashi grunted out, "And soon after, meet me in my office."

"Ah—" Hinata's eyes widened and looked up at him as he walked toward his room. "B-But—"

"Five minutes." He said, and Hinata jumped into action and took toward the steps. Even if she felt so sad as she stepped out of the dress and went back toward her plain Hyuuga robes. She silently bolted through the Hyuuga hallway and was just about to enter the Hyuuga main office when another person at the entrance of Hiashi's office caught her eye.

Seijirou Hyuuga?

Hinata was even more frightened to enter the room now. She almost withdrew her hand all together from the sliding door to rush back toward her room, but Seijiro had his eye on her. The moment she came into his view, he stepped up boldly toward her and opened Hiashi's door.

"Lady's first." He bowed like any gentlemen before watching her bow back and enter the office.

"Perfect timing." Hiashi called out as Seijirou joined them in the cold office with a small bow.

Seijirou—like Kurenai-sensei described—was a thin-looking boy that was barely old enough to even grow a hint of a stubble. He was going through his strange teenage growth spurt, and was unusually _bony_ at the moment. His long and uneven Hyuuga hair fell across his eyes—where he'd occasionally flip his whole head like an aged horse to properly see. He was rumored to be as cocky as Neji was before the Chuunin exam, and just as bitter toward the main house as well. It's also rumored though—that though Seijirou dislikes the main house, he is very fond of the idea of marrying one of the daughters of the main family—especially the beautiful daughter of the clan leader—Hinata Hyuuga.

"Hinata. Sit down." Hiashi commanded, and Hinata realized—that while she was wondering exactly why Seijirou was asked into Hiashi's office with her—he was already settled in their cushion in front of her father—looking expectantly at her to join him.

"Father." Hinata said boldly before complying, "What exactly is this meeting for?"

"Sit down and you will find out."

Hinata sat down—but not before crossing her arms—almost protectively around her abdomen. She glanced over at Seijirou, who wasn't shy to stare back at her. She looked down quickly, scared of his intense gaze.

"As you might have heard." Hiashi started. "Seijirou is one out of the many members of this clan that the elders of the clan have deemed worthy to marry you."

Hinata decided to keep looking down at her knees. She only acknowledged the fact with a slight nod.

"You're also aware that you're going to be turning seventeen in a few months."

Hinata glanced up and swiped her eyes over her father's desk before looking down again—she was shocked that he even remembered her age, being the kind of parent who always needed reminding as to how old his children were.

"Yes." Hinata whispered.

"Seijirou is still not of age to marry." Hiashi explained. "and the elders say they do not wish to see you marry during your eighteenth year."

Hinata, shocked at where this was headed, finally looked up with a hopeful look in her eye.

"But. We are making a special exception."

The hope died. Hinata's eyes dropped back down to the ground again and her shoulders visibly deflated.

"What's that face, Hinata?" Hiashi asked, his voice not at all comforting. It only sounded exasperated and sick of dealing with his daughter's feelings.

Hinata pursed her lips. She would not say anything to defend herself when Seijirou sat right next to her…she realized now why the meeting involved the three of them. It limited Hinata's say in things, and meant the men guided the conversation along.

"If I may?" Seijirou's voice piped up. "Maybe it's going too quickly for Hinata-sama. I would be willing to wait. After all, like you said, I'm still not sixteen."

"How noble of you, Seijirou-san." Hiashi nodded taking a much nicer tone toward the branch member. "Hinata?" it was amazing how his voice could suddenly drop to an icy cold in a split second.

Hinata looked up.

"Do you have any objections? Would you wait 'till Seijirou's sixteenth birthday?"

Hinata sighed and deflated yet again—this time, Hiashi loudly slapped his palm on his desk and roared, "_I will not have that kind of behavior in my office!_ No sighing."

Hinata brought her chest up and sat straighter—but the sadness was still in her eyes.

"No frowns."

Hinata forced a small, stiff smile.

"No tears."

Hinata blinked—she was crying? She brought her hands to her cheeks, and noticed that she had—indeed, shed a single tear and wiped it away.

"Now you will look toward Seijirou and promise you won't be such an embarrassment to him as a wife as you have been as a daughter."

Hinata blinked owlishly, the words were sharp like knives, and they did their job well. She pursed her lips into a tight line to keep the sad sigh in, her hands fisted the robes that gathered around her knees and she squared her shoulders as she robotically turned toward Seijirou.

She loosened her fingers around her robes and gracefully put them in front of her as if she was serving tea. Seijirou, who saw the formal-ness of Hinata's movements, decided to shift his body toward her and offered a smug smile that was supposed to look comforting.

Like a true lady heiress, she bowed low enough for her forehead to touch the tatami.

"I promise you, that if we wed—" Hinata started, her voice soft and almost inaudible.

"When." Hiashi corrected gruffly, not finding it at all creepy as his daughter bowed to his every whim like a puppet. "_When_ you wed Seijirou."

"_When_ we wed, I will not be such an embarrassment, as I have been toward my father." Hinata said—her usual softness in her voice was suddenly gone, and Hiashi relaxed instantly with content as he realized that she was finally in her 'business state'. She wasn't daydreaming or happily wearing her mother's silly wardrobe… _this_ was the real heiress he had called for.

"I can also promise you, that when we wed, I will be no love between us." Hinata continued—her voice growing firm with the feign politeness. Seijirou uncomfortably squared his shoulders as he felt the tension growing between daughter and father. "it will just be as empty and cold as my relationship with my father."

Seijirou nervously looked over toward Hiashi, who stared at the back of Hinata's head just as she slowly unwound herself from the stiff and formal bow. Her beautiful eyes, that looked so much like her mother's, the way her soft hair fanned around her figure, the visible frown that was carved on her face…

"Hinata…"

Hinata turned toward her father, the warmth in her eyes that reminded Hiashi so much of Hinata's mother was gone and was instead replaced by a hard coldness. It was the look that reminded him of the eyes he observes everyday in the mirror.

"You're grounded."

Naruto jumped from roof to roof, grinning like a winner as he caught sight of the large Hyuuga compound only a few bounds away.

He wanted to tell her about the Party that the Yamanaka clan was throwing tomorrow.

He had formed a habit of randomly finding the Hyuuga heiress and asking her random questions. He'd never crossed over into her room before, but every time he would shock her by appearing out of nowhere, she didn't seem to get offended or angry like some other girls would have—she seemed totally fine with him.

He landed perfectly on the tall Hyuuga compound wall—an impressive structure that was said to be constructed shortly after Hinata had been kidnapped when she was only three years old. It was a large and expensive project—and the outcome result was the scary and unbelievably cold outer crust of the Hyuuga's home. In a way, he would once think the walls of the Hyuuga compound sort of reflected how the Hyuuga carried themselves; cold and hard to crack into a smile.

But his Hinata was different—in fact, she was the opposite of all the other Hyuuga he has ever met. Her face seemed softer, her eyes were filled with warmth, and it was easy to get her to crack a small smile. She was probably the sweetest girl he knew…

"Hinata!" he called out foolishly.

It was that small sliver of luck he always carried around that managed to get his loud voice unheard—except for that one person who opened the window and gawked back at him.

"N-Naruto?" hissed a voice. Naruto squinted his eyes, and instantly smiled as he saw his good friend Hyuuga Neji glaring back at him in the confines of his own room.

"Yo!" Naruto said, much quieter as he jumped over toward Neji's roof, and hung off of the edge in an awkward position as he waved toward Neji. "I'm trying to find Hinata."

"Her room's that way." Neji said bluntly—actually being helpful for once, as he jerked his thumb toward the right side of the mansion. "But her room's heavily guarded right now, I'm warning you." He smirked, "You, especially, won't be able to go through."

Naruto huffed his chest, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're loud. And loud people get caught in the Hyuuga compound."

"Ehhh, I'll just tell them I'm looking for Hinata. Hinata—"

"Hinata-sama won't be much help at the moment." Neji said, his face starting to get hard as he crossed his arms. "She's grounded."

"Wha—Huh?" Naruto blinked, and then couldn't help but laugh. "What could Hinata do that could get her grounded? She's not a trouble maker."

"Apparently." Neji said, he didn't look as amused as Naruto, "She said something that made Hiashi-sama distraught."

"Pfft. Whatever. So her room's that-a-way? Thanks Neji." In a flash of orange and yellow—Naruto zoomed off toward Hinata's room.

"You're going to get caught." Neji dragged in a bored voice after Naruto's disappearing form before slamming his own window shut.

Naruto snickered at the thought of Hinata getting grounded—it just seemed too…impossible. She was this sweet little thing, after all. Then again, he heard stories of all the strict rules that Hyuuga family members had to follow, he shook his head—this time in worry, what if she really was grounded?

A terrible thought made his stomach plummet.

What if they found out she was out on a date with him…and got in trouble?

Taking Neji's blunt advice, he steadied his foot-work and crept quietly on the edge of the roof—peeking over the edge occasionally for any signs of the Hyuuga guards. To his surprise—there was one that actually sat right outside of a particularly large circular window. It didn't take Naruto long to realize that the room must've been Hinata's.

Creating a clone—and taking loosening a piece of cracked tile from the roof—he instructed his clone to distract the guard quickly.

It wasn't long till the guard caught sight of the famed orange-clad ninja as he mooned him and dashed off cackling like a maniac. The real Naruto watched the scene and couldn't help but chuckle himself before expertly landing in front of his back-up's window and rapping on it thrice.

"I'm asleep." Came the soft voice of the heiress. "You don't have to keep checking."

"No! Psst! Hina-chan! It's me! Open up quick!"

Behind the glass window, the paper panels that protected Hinata's privacy was slowly rolled up and there she stood in her night wear gaping at Naruto as if she'd never seen him before. Naruto frowned and mentioned for the windows eagerly, but the heiress continued to stare at him strangely.

"Hinata!" he urged, "Quick, my clone can only keep that guard away for so long."

That caused Hinata to jump into action. She jerked her locks from her window and pressed it gently open.

"Oh Naruto-kun! Tell me you didn't—" Hinata said quietly just as he slipped in after her. She shut the window closed, and pulled the paper blinds back down. "Did—Makoto-san see you?"

"Heh? Oh, the guard. Nah, he saw a clone. Don't worry—he's going in a totally opposite direction. The guards won't even—" but he saw the look Hinata was giving him. "Hey, it's ok—don't worry, I'll be gone in a flash. If the guard comes back—I'll just say I was talking with Neji. I won't mention you, honest."

Hinata sighed. "Naruto-kun, don't scare me like that."

"Wow," Naruto turned around Hinata's room. "Nice room, Hinata! Tidy."

Indeed it was. With barely any decoration and tatami floors that reached to every corner of the room, it was a room that could have easily been used for a nameless guest. With the wardrobe and the small but obvious girl's vanity, there wasn't much else that would identify the plain room as Hinata's. Unlike Naruto's room that had good character, though a little cluttered, Hinata had no pictures of relatives, or her favorite scrolls displayed for her. Even her bed—was just a simple futon that would be folded up and put away after use.

Hinata activated her Byakugan silently and realized everybody was asleep—even the other guard that was supposed to keep watch outside the hallway, seemed to have gone to his quarters for rest. She sighed a breath of relief before turning toward Naruto and keeping him near her window.

"Now isn't a very good time, Naruto-kun." Hinata whispered as she sat next to the window.

"Yeah, I heard you're grounded."

"You _heard_?" Hinata exclaimed with her eyes wide.

"From Neji."

"Oh." Hinata said softly. "Yes… it's silly… for a sixteen year old to be… grounded like a child."

"What happened?" Naruto asked softly as well, he could tell it was bugging her.

"I said something awful to father. Fortunately, he's only keeping me grounded for a week."

"A week!" Naruto whined. "What does that mean? We can't hang out?"

Hinata looked up toward Naruto and smiled sympathetically. "I-I'm sorry."

"This is ridiculous! What about missions?"

"I'm not sure." Hinata shrugged. She pulled her knees to her chest and sighed. Naruto knelt by her and pulled an arm around her. It made her squeak like a mouse, but Naruto just chuckled under his breath and pulled her closer.

"It's ok, Hinata-chan! You're gonna marry the rule breaking Uzumaki. I might as well tell you some tips so you can sneak out tomorrow!"

"Uh…what?"

"Sneak out!" Naruto shrugged. "While going back home, I ran into Ino—she's having a party for Chouji—apparently he's mastered a technique he's been working on for AGES. Are you up for it?"

Hinata smiled meekly up at Naruto, "Naruto… sneaking out is impossible in this house. The Byakugan can see through walls."

"Riiight, but it still can't tell between my shadow clones. Come on, I'll make a clone of you—and you can sneak out with me."

Hinata blinked. That actually might work… "Naruto." She shook her head with a small smile forming on her face. "Only you would think of such things."

"Heh." Naruto puffed up his chest.

"But…" Hinata trailed off in an uncertain voice, "if I ever get caught…"

"Then you can blame me! Your no-good backup who's already leading you down the path of troublemakers! Trust me, they can't do anything to me."

"I don't know, Naruto." Hinata hadn't even thought about that. Being caught with Naruto could mean some harm can come down on him, suddenly she was more nervous than before. "No, I really don't think I can do this."

"Puh-lease." Naruto rolled his eyes and pulled Hinata closer with an one armed hug. "You gotta trust your hubby on this."

"H-Hubby?"

"Oh! That's right! I didn't tell your dad about us! That was informal of me… oh wait! Did you?" he saw her blank expression and it immediately answered his question. "Well I'll just have to go meet him formally soon…" he said a little bit nervous for the first time he snuck into her room.

Hinata just gaped at him. "You shouldn't, Naruto-kun." She quickly breathed out at him as she realized he was eyeing the door to the hallway with intent interest.

"Why not?"

Hinata gulped. "Let's just say, he's not in the mood for suitors right now."

"Suitors?" Naruto, surprisingly knew the exact definition of _that_ word and frowned. "I'm not a suitor!" he said in a rather loud voice and Hinata had to hush him quickly. "I'm your back up!"

"Shhh, Naruto-kun—"

"And what do you mean _suitors—_plural? Are there others?" Naruto looked intently toward her for a response. When Hinata didn't immediately deny it and cast her eyes elsewhere quickly, obviously trying to come up with a decent lie to hush him.

"THERE IS!?" Naruto shouted out loud.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata begged, actually being bold enough to slap a hand over his mouth. She didn't have to activate her byakugan to see a fat guard coming up the hallway. Hastily thinking, she shoved Naruto into her covers and went in after him. She pulled him close to her and pulled her large conforter on top of them and hastily fished out a book under her covers and pretended to be reading it just as someone rushed forward and opened her door.

"Hinata-sama! I heard noise."

"That was me." Hinata said innocently as she blinked over toward her second personal guard—Tadashi-san. She waved toward her book, "It's getting really interesting."

"Well stop your reading!" snapped Tadashi quickly and suddenly, "You're going to wake your sister!"

"She's fast asleep, you know nothing can wake her." Smiled Hinata sweetly. "Good night."

"You shouldn't be enjoying yourself when you're grounded missy." Snapped the guard. "No reading, go to bed."

"Ok." Hinata said in a feigned dejected voice. "You won't tell my father, will you?"

"You watch yourself. I just might if you keep up that act as an innocent girl. You should be grounded for more time in my opinion."

"If you were my father, you wouldn't ground me." Hinata said in a sad voice.

"Hinata-sama..." Naruto heard the guard actually sound saddened.

"I want to go to bed now. I promise to sleep, you can go back to bed." Hinata said in a pitiful whisper. She put on a pitiful expression as she snuggled closer to her sheets, putting a hand on Naruto in the process.

"All right… good night." This time the guard hastily got out of Hinata's hair. Hinata sighed in relief and broke away from her covers and looked down at Naruto who looked at her in a newfound respect.

"Wow, bravo." Naruto clapped, quietly, "Better acting than Sakura can dish out, that's for sure."

Hinata blushed bright red, "I hate doing it, but the situation called for it. Now you have to leave."

"Why?" Naruto grinned as he pulled his arms behind his head. "I'm finally feeling at home." He saw her look of disapproval and his grin only widened. "You're not a very good host, Hinata."

Hinata turned a bright red. She only just realized that she had shoved Naruto into her bed and then done an incredibly shameful act of acting innocent while she was intentionally breaking the rules. Naruto saw in amusement her shoulders drop and at the same time embarrassment filling her cheeks.

"Hey, hey, I'm just joking. I'll leave." Naruto said as he shifted his weight on his elbow and used his free hand to catch Hinata's chin, making her look right back down at him. His grin suddenly vanished, as he too realized what a strange situation he just caught himself in. He looked straight into Hinata's face and only saw concern reflecting in her eyes—concern for him, to leave this ground-central room in one piece. She looked pretty, even though her hair was slightly rumpled and it looked like she cried earlier.

Hinata herself was falling deeper into the spell of Naruto's azure blue eyes. She didn't realize she was getting closer to his face until she felt his warm breath hit her face like a wake-up call. Naruto's warm but callused fingers branched out and felt the smoothness of her cheek as he cupped them boldly stretching his neck and tilting his head for a real kiss.

"I'll go." Hinata suddenly jerked away from his hands and from his inviting kiss. Naruto almost slipped up and fell forward from his bad balance on his elbow. He pouted up at Hinata, but she was staring off toward her ceiling, already making herself comfortable right next to Naruto. "To the party. If you make a distraction, I'll be happy to."

"You will?" Naruto cheered up. "Great! You know, we can announce to everyone there that we're backups while we're there—they do that in get-togethers, right?"

Hinata turned her head toward him and smiled. "Sure."

"You still do want to be my back-up, right?"

Hinata looked at him very seriously and said, again, "Sure."

"You're not just saying that to make me feel good?" Naruto grinned, he pulled the blankets over them selves and made it a point to rub up next to Hinata.

She blushed prettily and said in a dazed whisper. "Does it make you feel good?"

It was now Naruto's turn to blush. "Heck ya." He leaned in close and pulled an arm around her.

"AN ORANGE NINJA! I SWEAR—I SAW HIM—HE MADE ME CHASE HIM ALL AROUND THE VILLAGE BEFORE HE JUST—DISAPPEARED!" screamed a voice out in the backyard. Hinata put a hand over her shocked mouth and muffled an audible giggle.

"That's my cue to go." Naruto grinned.

"Be careful." Hinata whispered. Naruto crawled out of the warm blankets and tucked his back-up into bed and smiled mischievously before waving and disappearing in a puff of smoke.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**To be continued…**

(Chapter 433 was surprisingly good. Thank you, Kishimoto, you're finally speaking my language)


	9. Chapter 9

**Let's back up**

**By Vi**

**AUTHOR NOTE: YES, I changed my pen-name. I'm sorry, I really disliked 'PuffGal' for quite some time. It was so uncreative.**

A/N: To be incredibly honest, I thought I deleted this chapter. This was, originally, the very last chapter AND my favorite chapter, and I was way too bummed out to try to re-write it by memory. I did have several attempts, but—when I finally came across it by accident while writing a whole different fanfiction—I was SO glad. You guys are lucky.

I'll have this story finished by Wednesday if everything goes as planned.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I can't believe you're actually _grounded_." Cackled the hyper voice of Hyuuga Hanabi as she squeezed her stomach and rolled over from intense laughter. "This is _precious_."

Hinata frowned. "I don't find it so funny." She was catching up on scrollwork since she was cooped up in her room. Still, being grounded meant that she didn't get any guests either, meaning her sister laughed at her right outside of her room.

"No, it's brilliant!" Hanabi snapped. "_You_ sass back at dad? When did you get interesting?"

Hinata shot her sister a cold look before delicately making a note in a particular scroll with harsher strokes of her brush. "You don't have to rub it in my face."

"No, yes I do. I never got this chance before." Hanabi quips. "This might be the only time I can openly laugh at you and not get grounded myself."

"You are such a sweet sister."

"Yep! Your one and only. So! Did that prick Seijirou say anything after you were officially announced daddy's prisoner?"

"No." Hinata gritted out, "Which would make him a lot more of a gentlemen than I've ever given him credit for. I'm sorry to say that my very SISTER doesn't have that kind of respect towards me."

"Oh grow up, you know you love me." Snorted Hanabi. "You don't mind ME making fun of you. Seijirou doesn't have the right. As you already might have told him—" Hanabi was now almost in tears with laughter, "You'll never love him!" She tossed her head back and literally screamed with laughter. "I wanted to be there when you said that to his face!"

Hinata sighed before pulling out another calligraphy set and tucking her current brush away. "I'm going to be working till very late, Hanabi. You don't have to keep an eye on me—it'll just make you realize I'm not that interesting."

"Let me be the judge of that." Hanabi said snobbishly. "So, writing a love letter?"

"In fact, I am." Hinata said sweetly. "Too bad you can't see it from there."

"Try me." Hanabi stood on her tip toes but Hinata effectively put her bottle of ink on top of her tiny writing. "You're such a brat. I'm not interested anyway."

"Sure." Hinata sighed. "Anyway, close the door, would you?"

"Fine, fine!" Hanabi grumbled and closed the door with a deafening slap. "You are SO not interesting, by the way."

Hinata simply grinned to herself as she stared down at her 'love note' that, for some strange reason only listed scenarios of what she herself would do when certain people would ask her a question. A strange list to be written but around the same minute that Hanabi stormed out of Hinata's way—a second guest came crawling into her window. Hinata turned and cast a secret smile over toward Naruto, who beamed back.

"Are you sure you can keep a shadow clone long enough to fool my family members? I think it's too risky." Hinata said sadly as she listened to her sister's heavy footsteps leave the second story of her mansion.

"I'm confident. And even then, hey—I can make one and send one over to the Hyuuga mansion at _any time_. So no worries~!"

Hinata gulped, still very worried.

"What are you doing here?" came a third voice and Hinata gasped and turned her head toward her window with a Kunai already in her hand.

Naruto already felt Neji's presence long before he snuck into Hinata's room and calmly looked over his shoulder and waved.

"Hey, I'm sneaking out with Hinata to go to Chouji's party tonight." Naruto said bluntly without any reason to get scared. "Wanna help out?"

Hinata gaped at Naruto, completely aghast and now turning bright pink as she looked over toward her own shocked cousin.

"I must have misheard you." Neji coughed. "Hinata-sama would do no such thing."

"Why not?" Naruto snorted. "Are _you_ going to stop me?"

"No." Neji shook his head. "But the Hyuuga guards—"

"They couldn't even catch me last _night_. I'm pretty sure we're safe. Unless _you_ think you can do a better job." Naruto taunted.

"I probably would do a better job at keeping Hinata-sama safe from perverts like yourself." Neji said calmly as he leaned up against Hinata's window. He was being discreet enough to remember the rules of a grounded Hyuuga member, and that was to not enter her room at any costs.

"Well, you're free to _try_." Naruto said in a bored tone, "But seriously? I think you'll fail in the end."

Neji narrowed his eyes while Hinata got increasingly nervous from behind the two boy's staring contest.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Chouji grinned stupidly when confetti, screams, and lights were shoved into his face with a cry of "SURPRISE!" coming from every corner of the room. He was threatened to enter quickly by his lovely teammate Ino, who bounced right in after him and examined her friend's reaction just as the rest did.

"So? Are you surprised." Ino chirped happily

"Whoa." Chouji only had to say, he even had the courtesy to put down his current bag of barbeque flavored chips. "That was…fast. I knew you were throwing a party…but…"

"You _knew_?" sneered Ino, all of the sudden flashing away from her sickeningly sweet act to a deathly furious face as she examined the other guests around her. "Who yapped?"

Shikamaru put his hand up lazily without any regret or guilt crossing his features. His very 'I don't give a damn' look made Ino steam and give up that very instant.

Sakura pointed wildly toward the large cake at the corner of the room. "We got you cake from your _favorite_ bakery, Chouji. Congrates!"

"Yeah, congratulations, man." Came Kiba's friendly cheer, "You gotta show us this jutsu of yours sometime—"

"Ah, no. Not a good idea." Grinned Ino, "It can destroy the village. BUT, be prepared to be amazed on our next mission."

"Why in the world are we celebrating it _now_ then?" drawled out Kakashi-sensei as he rolled his one visible eye. "Let's throw some booze around when we're the only country standing."

Everyone quieted instantly and gave him an odd stare. Slowly, Sakura came to realize the bottle that was clenched in her teacher's hands and groaned aloud. Someone allowed this party to have all the booze you wanted, and she had no idea that Kakashi of all people would take the opportunity to be intoxicated.

Then again, he _did_ have a hard week…what with finally being admitted back into doing missions but getting a really crappy client. Naruto quickly linked an arm around his teacher and prodded him toward the feast.

"Ino-chan planned the whole thing, isn't it great?" Naruto loudly asked.

"Sake." Kakashi clarified as he looked up at his students. "Please tell me there is more sake."

Sakura couldn't help but shrug, "Sorry, Kakashi-sensei, we're under aged, so—"

"Miss." Kakashi called a nearby waitress, "Sake. All around." He waved toward everybody else, and instantly the whole chattering crowd of under-aged ninjas fell silent. Kiba and Akamaru both glanced worriedly at each other as they scooted away from Lee—their neighbor, as far away as possible. Hinata and Ten ten were also in range if Lee started getting drunk, and started to think up excuses to leave the party in shallow whispers.

"BOOZE FOR EVERYONE!" Kakashi suddenly shouted. "For me! The birthday boy!"

"It's not your birthday!" Sakura shouted, having enough of it already. "NARUTO! Do something!"

"Yeah! He's ruining my party!" Ino screeched back.

"_Your_ party?" Chouji asked as he stopped his chopsticks mid-way from grabbing a shrimp dumpling.

"You know what I mean." Ino said impatiently.

"No. NO!" Kiba said just as a few waitresses came out with tall green glass bottles filled to the top with clear liquid. He was only panicking because he sat next to the most easily intoxicated ninja in the room—Rock Lee. "Aw shit!"

"Uh…" Naruto said quietly, looking over at the rest of the shocked guests as alcohol was suddenly put in front of them.

"Let's all have a toast then." Kakashi said, it was already clear that he was going to try to drink his way back into his younger years. He asked the waitress to pour him a warm glass of sake in a rather large mug before lifting it over his head and demanding a toast. Everyone else—including those who were already of age such as Kurenai and Gai took their cups very reluctantly as waitresses hurried to get them filled. Just as Lee was getting his own cup filled, Kakashi announced, "Thank you for this wonderful party, Ino." He indicated toward the lovely flower girl who looked fearful of the consequences as she nodded. "This round is for you—" he then took the mug and in one big swing—drained it entirely.

"Ahh!" Lee shouted, pumped up as he got up hurriedly as well. "I will drink for YOU, Sakura, my flower!" despite many people around him screaming at him to stop—he took his small cup of sake and drained it just like Kakashi did. "Invigorating! Another!" he cried—bending over to take Kiba's cup of sake.

"Wow, good thing Neji called in sick for this party." Chuckled Ten Ten toward Hinata, who chuckled nervously in response.

"Ah hell no!" Kiba took his own cup of sake and purposefully spilled it before Rock Lee's lips could come near it.

"Would you like another cup, sir?" asked an oblivious waitress.

"No! Don't you dare!" Kiba threatened her but it was too late—Lee was already caving under the influence of alcohol as he danced toward her.

"Uh…" Sakura said, slowly standing up, "This is an unexpected turn of events." She glanced at her teacher, who was slowly turning drunk himself as he kept asking for refills in a giant mug. "Ino, do something!" she hissed while Ino stared at Chouji as he recklessly stuffed his face.

"Eh, actually I think this party's going rather well." Shrugged Ino. "Considering Naruto hasn't started karaoke yet, and everyone still has all of their clothes on…"

"Ino!" Ten ten scolded while Hinata was dragged over by Kiba to help ease the rambunctious Lee.

"How troublesome." Grumbled Shikamaru as he ducked as Lee jumped over the table to attack another sake-serving waitress. "I should've stayed home if this would be the case."

"Shhh! Don't say that!" scolded Ino.

Chouji said loudly, "I for one, am glad that everyone was able to come! Thank you guys! And hot _damn_, look at how much food there is!" he rubbed his hands together before leaning across the table as he realized there were also serving chicken legs.

"Aw, man… and after sneaking Hinata out to this party… Kakashi totally ruined the _mood_." Groaned Naruto aloud, catching several non-drunken people's attention.

"What?" Sakura blinked looking over at the blushing girl, who was now trying to break up the fight between Lee and her teammate. "You… you were with Hinata?"

"Yeah!" Naruto said brightly.

"N-Naruto! T-That's great!" Ino gasped. She glanced over at the shy girl who was busy teaming up with her regular team-mates to stop Rock Lee's drunken fist. "You… and Hinata…are… you know, an item now?"

"WHAT?" Naruto's eyes widened, "Ino, we're _people_!"

Ino smacked her head loudly before Ten Ten came through with her own curious gaze.

"Dating. Are you two dating?"

"Nooo," Naruto said with a shake of his head, "We've passed _that_ stage." He then stared at his now intensely interested crowd with a smug grin, "I haven't told you guys yet, have you? Well, Hinata-chan and I _do_ want it to be sort of a surprise…"

"You're keeping secrets with Hinata?" Sakura shrieked, she stared over at her friend—who was across the room, still busy with the fight between the drunkard and the sober dogs. "I… she never told us!"

"We're keeping LOTS of secrets." Naruto informed wisely, "We don't keep anything from each other now."

The girl's eyes widened, "So… you know…Hinata's deepest secret?"

"Which one?" Naruto asked, with a frown.

"You know…that she likes you?" Ino asked, her eyes sparkling.

Naruto threw his head back and laughed, "Of course she likes me. That's why she's my _back up_."

_That_ definitely killed the mood.

All the girls who were listening and knew the term gasped dramatically—quickly turning angry as they crossed their arms in unison. Naruto blinked up at now anger-filled eyes, as surrounding men—who were obviously clueless—shrunk back with fear.

"What? Back up? Like she's not good enough to be the real deal?" snapped Ino angrily.

"Huh?" Naruto blinked owlishly. He turned toward an angry Ten ten, "What does she mean? Is she just jealous that I have a backup?"

"No, Naruto." Ten ten said, she had her teeth gritted and she was fingering her weapons in her hidden pouch. "And you better stop flapping that tongue before I CUT. IT. OUT."

Naruto jumped back, obviously not knowing why the conversation took a seriously weird turn.

"Wait, wait." Sakura said, slowly realizing how innocent her teammate look, she sighed slowly—releasing some of her built-in anger before letting it out as calmly as possible. "Naruto… do you know what a back up is?"

"Of course I do!" Naruto retorted brashly.

"Oh." Sakura glared, "Well then… you're a JERK!" she loudly cracked her knuckles and got up from her seat as well—now all the girls were aiming toward him with a crazy look in their eyes.

"Uh…ok, I guess I don't know." Naruto frowned as he pulled up his forearms for a defensive stance. "Why are you guys so angry?"

"Why?" Ino hissed "WHY? You- You're playing with Hinata's emotions! THAT'S WHY!"

"WHAT?" it was Naruto's turn to get angry. "I would NEVER do that! Hinata's my friend—soon to be BEST friend, AND wife. I would NEVER hurt her!" he got up and huffed. "Man! You guys are crazy!"

Sakura released her anger again, "Wait, you really mean that?"

"Of course I do! I'm going to marry Hinata!" Naruto loudly announced—it was loud enough that it caught even Kakashi's ears.

"HA!" the drunken teacher suddenly exclaimed. "My little student Naruto-channnnnzzzzz gettings merr—woops, MARRIEZ! Let'ss have another round!"

This now caught the oblivious Hinata's attention indefinitely as she looked up from the fight between her teammates and Lee… she caught sight of a frightened looking Naruto surrounded by her girlfriends, and she had a sickening feeling she knew why.

"Wh-What's going on?" Hinata asked aloud as many people openly stared at her. When she looked back at Naruto—Sakura was hissing something at him—and didn't look very happy at all. What was that about?

"You fool!" Sakura hissed as she gripped on Naruto's ears.

"OWWW!"

"You want to _marry_ Hinata?"

"That means you're engaged, Naruto." Snapped Ino with her arms still tightly wound before her chest. She was still angry that Naruto was _this_ dense. This word made Naruto squirm out of Sakura's grip and defensively wave his hands around to abolish what Ino had said.

"WOW! Wow, wow—Hinata and I haven't done any of THAT yet." Naruto said quickly. "God damn, Ino—get your mind out of the gutter!"

"Wha--?" Ino shrieked, "ENGAGED is not a naughty word!"

"Really? 'Cause Ero-sennin used to use that word like it was a taboo or something…"

"Oh my god." Ten ten groaned aloud. She looked over at the rest of the guests—half who were actually interested in what was going on with Naruto. "Just explain to him what a back up is quick—let me go talk to Hinata…"

She turned toward her shy friend who saw the exchange between the girls and Naruto and looked deathly worried.

"Why? What does back up really mean?" Naruto blinked innocently up at Sakura.

Sakura sighed, "It means—"

"It means Hinata's your LAST CHOICE, moron!" interrupted Ino harshly. Naruto's eyes widened, and Sakura waved her arms around to signal for Ino to stop, but she just kept going—in her loud, rambunctious voice, "It means that you made a truce with her that if you don't find someone you WANT to marry, that you'll MARRY Hinata when you have NO OTHER CHOICE! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO HER?" she screamed.

Ino fell silent as well when she realized how quiet the room had gotten. She blinked and looked around just before seeing Hinata looking extremely hurt.

"Ino-chan…" Hinata started. "Ino-chan! Stop!"

She ran up to them and wedged herself between the angry kunoichi and her backup.

"Naruto-kun…when he asked me to be his backup, _I_ was the one who said yes." Hinata said desperately. "So don't blame Naruto-kun. It's not his fault."

"You're always defending him, Hinata!" snapped Ino. "Even when he makes a dumb ass move! He needs to grow up some time! It's YOUR feelings you should be concerned about! Look what he DOES to you!"

"No!" Hinata interjected shaking her head and holding out her arms to keep Ino at bay. "Everybody should have a person that would stand up for them no matter what! I will always…stand up for Naruto-kun." Naruto looked up at Hinata, wonder and sadness evident in his eyes. This wasn't just the woman he somehow realized he wanted to marry…this was a person… that _loved_ him. And as he saw her back, he realized… yes, he loved her too.

"_Do you like Hinata?"_

_Yes. He could honestly say he could._

_Do you love Hinata?_

_Of course. _A new wave of emotions overtook him. '_Of course I love Hinata Hyuuga_…' When she thought that he asked her to be his 'last choice'—she was still there for him. When he bugged her about their back up plans—she was still there for him… When her own family left her, she was still there for people she cared about. She was honestly—the person that he would gladly spend the rest of his life with.

Naruto's lips squared, '_Well… I want to be there for her too I want to be the person who stands up for Hinata-chan…no matter what._'

"Please…" Hinata's voice broke, "Don't get angry at him." She looked down and her shoulder suddenly shook. "Don't get angry at him."

"Ahhh." Kiba muttered under his breath. "Told you he'd make her cry."

And as he predicted, a sob broke through the air, and Ino—once charged with raw anger felt guilt settle in her heart as she watched the girl before her crumple into tears. Dainty hands covered her face and tried to muffle the sound as much as she could, but it was already out in the open.

But as soon as the sob hit the air, and everyone felt a terrible tension—Naruto stepped up boldly and threw his arms around Hinata from behind—wrapping her into a tight embrace and burying his head between the crook of her neck.

"I'm sorry, Hinata."

Hinata's insides turned, her sobbing stilled and a blush crept through her fingers.

"I never meant to hurt you."

"I- I know that, Naruto-kun." Hinata's voice said brokenly.

"I really…" Naruto realized people were still quiet and that people—were _watching _his intimate moment with his girl. "I don't think I really understood what a back up _was_."

Hinata nodded slowly—turning redder as her eyes flew across shocked faces that surrounded her. She wanted to tell Naruto that she forgave him already. She wanted to run away from those shocked stares as soon as possible…it was nerve wracking.

Naruto lifted his head and brought his hand up to cup the distance between his mouth and her ear and whispered.

"I kinda like you. You know… like you-like you."

Hinata turned the brightest shade of red she could possibly get before she could hit fainting-mode.

"I do too." Hinata said softly. She saw from the corner of her eye her friends exchanging shocked looks that clearly read that they had no idea what they were talking about.

Everybody else, sans Kakashi who was knocked out from his liquor, stared openly as Naruto tip toed out the room with the Hyuuga Heiress stiffly strapped up in his arms.

"Uh…" Naruto said—indicating toward everybody else—his own face red. "Continue… partying and whatever! I need to talk with…" he didn't finish his sentence however—as he ran out of the party hall and ran down the hall—shifting Hinata in his arms so he was carrying her bridal style.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

To be continued.


	10. Chapter 10

Let's Back Up

By Vi

A/N: Dudes, Sorry it took soooo long for me to update. Haha. No seriously though, I totally expected myself to finish this silly story by tonight. But I realized on Wednesday that I had a major paper due. So, needless to say--I only quickly re-read and edited one chapter. I can assure you this chapter will be heavily laced with terrible spelling errors and grammar trips. Woot.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hinata looked to her side and watched Naruto's face in fascination, while he was running.

It was like he was a new person… when he usually ran—he had this cocky grin fixed to his face permanently from start to finish…but something was off. He looked more determined now, and the way he gripped her body made her realize that part of that determination was due to her…he was carrying her… if he slipped and fell, they both would. Somehow, that seriousness made him look more… mature? She didn't know, but it was slightly intimidating and… well… sexy?

Hinata squeezed her eyes shut, she couldn't believe she actually even thought it so freely in her head. She berated herself in ever thinking anybody 'sexy' until much, much later on in life… but she was only sixteen—very soon to be seventeen… that kind of thoughts should be—

"We're here." Naruto's voice interrupted. Hinata opened her eyes and was shocked to find themselves on top of the Konoha hospital.

"W-Why are we here?"

"Well, I would like for us to be back in that room…the room where I asked you to be my back up… but this is the closest I could get to the room before, you know…" he chuckled slightly. "I get lost…"

Hinata couldn't help but smile softly as well. She realized she still had a few tears stuck to her face and ran a hand across her cheeks, brushing them off.

"I- I'm sorry for what happened back there." Hinata sniffed. "I didn't know Ino-chan would get that angry, and it wasn't fair to you, I—"

Naruto lifted her chin, silencing her instantly.

"Hinata-chan." Naruto said, his voice getting extremely soft. Hinata felt mystified. "You're always looking out for me…."

"T-that's not true, Naruto-kun… I know you can take care of yourself." Hinata said, her eyes dropped from Naruto's intense gaze—why was he looking at her with such dewy eyes? It seemed out of place and oh-so-sudden, Hinata made sure to look interested in her toes.

"I want to marry you."

Hinata looked up quickly, her eyes wide and her mouth ajar.

"W-What?"

"I want to marry you more and more—from the moment I asked you to be my back up…" Naruto said with a sad smile, "Now that I realize… that… what we promised to be for each other… was something that… that wasn't very fair to you… I can't believe that you'd still stand up for me." He leaned in close and Hinata sighed when his forehead touched hers and his warm hands settled over her arms.

"I know I wouldn't want to marry me… if I were you, Hinata." Naruto said softly.

Hinata shook her head. "Then you don't know me very well."

Naruto broke apart from her and stared at her sadly, but was surprised to see a small smile forming on Hinata's face.

"I've—I had this major crush on you since… the Academy." Hinata breathed. "The thought of even being your back up was… well, heartbreaking at first, yes, but I thought it made this wonderful excuse for us to be together more, and…" she blushed and looked away—embarrassed, "It made me happy."

Before she could even react properly and examine Naruto's observant face, his lips crashed onto hers. Messily—but firmly they stayed put for a while, their hearts racing together as both realized how warm their lips were on each other. How Hinata's eyelashes brushed against Naruto's, and his fingers twitched to bring her closer…

Suddenly he pulled away—his own face red.

"S-Sorry, I shouldn't have… I mean, I should've asked you first."

Hinata only blinked up—owlishly, as if in a dream and said—in a very dream-like state, "That's ok." And, still dreamily—she closed her eyes again, and leaned toward him—and he was only too happy to lean in as well.

Their kisses were light and innocent—only pressing the surface of their lips and never going further… but still it was such an intimate experience for both of them. For the boy who never got to kiss a girl properly in his life, it was a miracle. For the girl who dreamed of affection from her cold and distant family, it was a blessing. They savored each tiny, pecking kiss that landed around and on their lips before breaking apart and smiling.

Just before they could announce their undying love for each other. Naruto felt an alarming feeling rush into his memory out of nowhere. Hinata stopped goofily smiling when she saw Naruto's brow crease at the familiar feeling of a clone's life ending.

"My…clone…popped." His brows creased before his eyes darted toward Hinata and his mouth held a cocky grin.

"Oh no." Hinata breathed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Neji glared at the clone-version of his cousin cautiously from his spot right outside Hinata's room.

"Naruto, sit up straighter, you're slouching! Hinata-sama would never slouch." When the clone continued not only slouching, but started to openly mock Neji as he crossed his eyes and flapped his jaw, it took all of Neji's will-power to control his anger. He knew that even the slightest bop on the head could ruin the clone. "You aren't making the impression of Hinata-sama at all!" he hissed dangeriously.

"It's really, really boring." The clone that held Hinata's face groaned. It looked so foreign to see the usually proper Hyuuga heiress slouch at her seat and kick at her small desk. The calligraphy brush that the real Hinata had used moments ago was settled just above the clone's curled upper lip. Let's just say that the clone was doing the worst job possible of impersonating Hinata Hyuuga.

"Hinata-sama will hear about this!" Neji warned.

"Poor Hinata." The clone quickly dragged, picking up the brush and twiddling it with his dainty fingers. "Being stuck in this stupid house, just because her father doesn't know how to loosen up."

Neji sighed. "Naruto. For the last time—"

"Neji. Move!" a voice surpised both the clone and Neji as Hanabi jumped into the scene—boldly shoving Neji out of the way as she stepped into Hinata's room.

"Onee, I found something for you!" Hanabi gushed, holding up a box full of kunai, shuriken, and other sharp objects.

"Uh…great." The clone said as Hinata-like as possible. Bringing up his hands to poke his index fingers. Neji rolled his eyes in the background as Hanabi settled in front of her.

"Hanabi-sama, you are not allowed in Hinata-sama's room while she's grounded." Neji tried to reason, but Hanabi and the clone ignored him as she started to dump the sharp tools onto Hinata's tatami floor.

"Oh clam it, Neji." Hanabi snapped rudely. In retaliation, the clone saw Neji sending Hanabi his coldest of glares before calmly crossing his arms and turning his back towards them.

The clone knew if he even as much as accidentally pricked his finger, he was toast. He had to be very careful, as Hanabi started to talk to him about some of her 'new' weapons.

"Well?" Hanabi demanded all of the sudden, "What do you think?"

"I think they're…swell!" the clone did a terrible impression of Hinata as he tried to look cute as he fluttered his eyelashes. Hanabi stared, a little confused for a split second before diving back into her things.

"Well! Choose one. I told you I'd get you the perfect tool to smother Seijirou with. I think this Kunai especially—" she held up a particular sharp object. "Is perfect for ripping his throat out. Hold it, it's a lot lighter than you'd think."

"Seijirou?" the clone couldn't help but ask. Neji finally whipped around and addressed Hanabi in hopes to drag the attention away from the idiot-clone.

"You're fiancé! Onee, what's wrong with you? Are you out of it or somethi—"

"Hanabi-sama! I heard Koh calling for you downstairs." Neji interrupted

"I didn't." the clone was the one to pipe up before Hanabi could answer. The Hinata-imposter put a firm hand over Hanabi's shoulders and spoke sternly. "Now, little sister, Hanabo."

"Hanabi." Neji groaned under his breath.

"Hanabi, sorry—I got some…grass stuck in my teeth or something."

Hanabi narrowed her eyes.

"Tell me everything about Seijirou you know. I mean… like his weakness. So I can…cut him or whatever." The clone finished with an impish grin that definitely did not fit Hinata's face.

"Who are you…?" Hanabi shook out of his grasp, now thoroughly confused and disturbed as she inched away form the imposter. She activated her byakugan and she instantly could tell that the chakra signatures didn't look even remotely familiar. Her eyes widened, but before she could scream and shout—Neji came swooping in for the rescue and clamped a hand over Hanabi's loud mouth.

"Hanabi-sama, we can explain." Neji said as calmly as possible as he dealt with a wriggling, angry Hyuuga princess. She finally broke free to smack him hard on the head.

"You BETTER! Who—" she narrowed her eyes at the imposter than a sudden realization struck her. "Where is Onee?"

"Hinata-sama is… busy." Neji said hurriedly, trying to explain before the clone could get in a word, but it was too late.

"Hinata is with Naruto!" the clone said boldly and proudly, drawing his hands to his fake hips and drawing up his chest. "Who is Seijirou!? And what the hell is a 'fiance'? Is that some sort of…bank?"

"Will you lower your voice?" Neji ordered, getting impatient and feeling himself loosing the bet with the real Naruto that he could protect Hinata from getting in more trouble. "Do you want people to catch you?"

"Who are you?" Hanabi demanded loudly, pointing a finger toward the clone and stomping her feet. "I demand to know!"

"Hanabi!" Neji said, desperately, trying to lower their volumes. It was a miracle nobody came up to check up on them already.

"I'll tell you who I am if you tell me who Seijirou is and what he means to Hinata."

"Why is it any of YOUR business, SPY?"

"Uh… I dunno, let me think…OH I KNOW, because I'm going to MARRY her?" snapped the clone rudely.

"WHAT?" Hanabi and Neji jerked in surprise. Neji had no idea his innocent cousin had already made the moves on her long time crush.

"No you AREN'T. Father's already got Hinata-onee to agree to marry Seijirou!" Hanabi announced. "Are you dumb or something?"

"Ha! An arranged marriage? You think that'll stop ME?" the clone said snottily. "Take me to Seijirou, let me see him! That coward—thinking he could just…just…waltz right in and take my girl through a FAKE marriage."

Neji and Hanabi stared on, in wonder and in active disbelief. Before Neji could shake himself from his own astonishment for what the clone was spewing from his mouth, the fake Hinata was marching down the hall.

"This is…" Hanabi started.

"I know." Neji said jerking into motion and following the fake Hinata. "Hurry, let's catch him before—"

"…SO FUN!" Hanabi finished excitedly.

Neji actually tripped.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

To be continued.

I hope you guys ALL have a wonderful mother's day. For all those mothers out there, this measly day in a year is not enough to express my gratitude toward you all. Enjoy the sloppily made breakfast in bed, and the funny-looking cards!


	11. Chapter 11

Let's Back Up

* * *

Naruto continued to stomp his way down the hallway, determined to find this 'Seijirou' that was after his girl. He came to a halt when a pair of particularly cold eyes stopped him with an especially loud shout of, "HINATA HYUUGA!"

The clone realized that the angry yell was directed at him, he momentarily reminded himself that he was in the shape as Hinata Hyuuga as his fists came up briefly to touch the long dark hairs on his head. He grumbled inwardly and whipped around to see an angry looking man in his middle age storming up toward him. A maddening look on his face.

"What are you doing out of your room?"

"What's it to _you_?" snapped the clone, narrowing his eyes.

"Is _that_ how you talk to your father!" Hiashi's voice rose and then saw a look of recognition cross this strangely bold version of his daughter.

"Ehhh? Father?" she looked him up and down, "When did you get so _old_?" she said in a not-so-hidden way, causing Hiashi to stare at his daughter as if she had sprouted another head. He heard footsteps of a panicked Hanabi and Neji coming to a screeching stop of their own as they just witnessed Hinata call her father _old_. The clone didn't seem to notice the shocked looks echoing around him, and if he did, outwardly ignored it as he pointed to a portion of the hall. "Where is this 'Seijirou' kid? I need to talk to him!"

"Hi-Hinata! You. Are. GROUNDED!"

"No I'm _not_. I'm a Shinobi of the leaf! What kind of Shinobi get's 'grounded' because her daddy tells her to? Are you out of your mind?" the clone made a point by drawing invisible crazy-circles around his head. "Now tell me where this Seijirou is! I need to have a talk with him!"

Hiashi made a move to grab her, but the clone finally decided to dash off. Neji and Hanabi ran after the clone who made quite the ruckus as he screeched for Seijirou to show his face while turning a sharp corner. Hiashi took note that Hanabi was squealing with laughter, and Neji was pleading for the two girls to stop.

Hiashi crossed his arms, and felt all of his earlier anger melt for a strange reason. A sentence that his daughter had said had really sunk into him.

"_I'm a shinobi of the leaf!"_

Hinata had said it with a pride she hadn't expressed since her mother was still alive. The little girl that he had grounded had, in a sudden turn of events, become daring and prideful. He realized she was being a lot more daring as of late, but to see that pride…that glow around her…it made him back peddle and wonder what made her act like a proper fighter. He was rooted on the spot, wondering what the hell happened to his daughter before finding his feet following the sound of rambunctious laughter and clatter down the hall.

It wasn't long for the Naruto clone to stop in front of a man that looked back at him with a look of shock. He just came out of his room, and stood in front of the Hinata clone in a way that only the real Seijirou would do.

"Y-yes, Hinata-sama?" he answered.

"Who do you think you _are_?" the Clone said in a shrill voice that didn't fit Hinata at all. Seijirou caught Hanabi in the background, pointing a finger and about to let out another squeal of that obnoxious laughter that alerted him to the yells of his name in the first place, but Neji helpfully slapped a hand over the young girl's mouth.

"I-I'm sorry?" Seijirou squinted his eyes and lifted a brow.

"Going after Hinata when she's already spoken for? You have some nerve!" snapped the clone that held Hinata's face. Seijirou continued to prolong his look of confusion before he activated his byakugan, but he was quickly slapped-_hard_-across the face before he could take a decent look at any chakra signatures.

Hanabi was now crying tears. Neji found this both confusing and disturbing.

"You PERV! Were you trying to look through Hinata's clothes? That's it-you're asking for it!" the clone shouted before lifted a tiny fist.

"You're not Hinata-sama!" Seijirou's own voice started to raise as two, dangerously activated byakugan eyes rested on the clone. He rubbed his reddening cheek and took a cautionary step backwards to raise two hands into the defensive Jyuken stance. "Who-"

"I'm…" the clone finally broke character, as a sudden cloud of smoke dissipates from the spot where one angry Hinata Hyuuga was standing in seconds ago, one could make out the form of a tall blond man standing in her place. "UZUMAKI NARUTO! And I'm Hinata's back up!"

"W-what?" Seijirou broke stance, but realized his mistake a second too late when the clone suddenly threw a mean uppercut, and threw the poor chuunin off balance completely. He tumbled down the hallway and regained his stance quickly just as the clone rushed up to close the distance between them. "Back-up? That's ridiculous! Then why are you so defensive-?"

"You are going after my girl! Of course I'm defensive!" The Naruto clone spat.

"I think you've got it backwards." Seijirou said, a pallor on his face. "Hinata is already going to marry me-she will have no need for a backup once we are official…"

"Are you _stupid_? I just _said_ she's my backup. She's agreed to marry ME!" the clone shouted with all his might. It was actually loud enough to create some paper-lined doors to quiver.

Neji finally let go of Hanabi once her laughter was starting to seep through his fingers anyway. He rolled his eyes and rubbed her drool that he had accumulated over his clean pants, forgetting about hygiene, and simply hoping that this blow-up would calm down soon. He noticed a few other Hyuuga members were coming out of their respectable rooms to survey the strange battle.

"S-stupid?" Seijirou didn't take the insult well, as his cheeks turned a light pink. "You-you have no right coming into someone else's homes to announce that they're stupid! I… I should be calling _you_ stupid, obviously you have no clue what a back-up spouse is! And…" he shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut, "I should be thoroughly concerned over this, why in the world is Hinata-sama agreeing to let someone like _you_ to be her backup?"

"What?" Naruto put his hands defensively on his hips. "What do you mean 'someone like _me'_ to be her backup?"

"Hinata-sama is kind, respectable, she's-gentle and quiet. A proper lady. You, on the other hand… you could easily be mistaken for a common punk! You two are the possibly the _worst possible match for each other_!" Seijirou said.

The clone bristled, he knew that if he was the original Naruto was in his shoes, he would have dove in and pummeled Seijirou senseless right there, but he had to be more careful. He was only one clone with a very tough mission. He needed to be active for at least a few more minutes. However, he realized that the real reason he was fighting himself not to pummel Seijirou in the ground, was because he too often felt like Hinata was too good to be true! She did seem too great…what if they were a bad match? What if he was dragging her to be his wife and…and in the end she'd want someone who's better behaved and bred form a better family?

He pursed his lips and dropped the fists that were up in the air in normal boxing position, ready to knock Seijirou even with the possibility of puffing out of existence. He decided to relax and finally open his mouth to Seijirou's remark.

"Hinata doesn't mind that…she…she likes me." Naruto said. "I know she does. We-we love each other."

Neji's jaw dropped, and Hanabi's laughter was stopped short as well. A few other Hyuuga who stopped to look upon this battle gasped, dramatically. It was this moment when Hiashi Hyuuga joined in with the rest of his clan to observe the fight, his jaw dropped once he was caught up with what was happening, which took little explanation from surrounding members. He gathered that the girl he had earlier thought was his daughter was actually a boy in disguise that was now proclaiming his love for his daughter in public to her entire family.

"Please." Seijirou sneered, "Hinata-sama is just too much of a coward to reject loquacious men like yourself. She can't defend herself against you-that much is certain! Why else would she agree to have _you_ as a potential husband? That poor, poor girl." Seijirou made a noise that sounded like a scoffing laugh, only darkening Naruto's gaze on him.

"Hinata's an amazing woman. A stuck up prick shouldn't feel sorry for her-she and anybody else with more balls should feel sorry for YOU!" Naruto hollered back. He could faintly hear Hanabi squealing as if she found out her birthday presents were coming earlier that year. "You keep talking about Hinata in a negative way and I'll be making that kisser of yours useful by making it a _punching bag_."

Seijirou felt his face grow even hotter. "Are you challenging me for a fight?"

"Oh! So you DO understand! Maybe a fight with me will finally screw your head on straight. Make you realize you should keep your eyes off of Uzumaki Naruto's girl!"

"Ha!" Seijirou spat, "You've got it backwards. Hinata Hyuuga is my fiancé, and you-Uzumaki what's-it-are going to realize that a high-class woman such as Hinata would never truly agree to be your backup without knowing she is going to already marry someone like me beforehand! She must have just told you she'd be your backup to shut you up!"

Naruto balked.

"Y-you don't even _know_ Hinata, do you? How could you agree to marry someone you don't even _know_?" Naruto felt himself laughing. "Hinata is not that kind of person! If she didn't want to be my backup, she wouldn't be my backup. But truth is-she IS! And you know what else? She says she wouldn't mind being my wife-we even have plans for having _five kids_! TOPS!" Naruto flung his head back and laughed haughtily. He then glared back at Seijirou, true spite in his eyes, "What kind of plans did YOU make with her? Oh, wait, let me guess, you don't have any because other people tried to plan your wedding? Wow, what's the fun in THAT?"

Seijirou's eyes widened.

"And what do you really know about Hinata aside from how she acts when she's around her family? I mean-she's not only kind and has good table manners, but she's one of the best kunoichi I know to depend on during tough situations! She's smart, and she's funny, and… YOU obviously don't appreciate her enough!"

On that note, Naruto flashed forward, and gave Seijirou a nice, but very brutal punch right on his kisser just like he promised. The experienced fighter, that was said to have been one of the better Jyuken fighters in the branch house fell like a ton of bricks, and passed out almost instantly-in only one major hit. A good portion of onlookers (main family, no doubt), that was silently observing Naruto and Seijirou's cat fight, started to go back into their rooms, uninterested once the person they were rooting for had been knocked out. But soon silence didn't have room for the situation at hand, and several caring members of the clan started jumping in to check Seijirou's pulse and to demand what the hell just happened.

"That…" Naruto whipped around to see Hanabi putting a hand on his forearm, "Was pretty…cool of you to say." Said the younger sibling with a little blush on her cheeks, "Hey, when…you get bored of big-sis, you know I'll make myself available for ya." She winked and Naruto gave her a look of confusion. Neji shoved his youngest cousin away and gave Naruto a rather curt handshake.

"It was nice knowing you, friend." Neji mumbled under his breath. With that, he dragged a now eye-fluttering Hanabi out of the way as Hiashi Hyuuga came stomping down the hallway, making a b-line toward Naruto.

"Uzumaki Naruto." hissed the clan head.

"Yikes." Naruto winced, as the wrinkled father came glowering down at him. "I'm in trouble."

"Where is my daughter?"

"Uhhh…." Naruto looked around, as if he could find helpful clues to form a lie around the blank walls of the Hyuuga estate. "She's… in her room."

"I have the Byakugan, you fool. I can see that she's not in her room!" snapped Hiashi, his voice was raising a dangerous volume.

"Damn, I forgot." Naruto hissed under his breath before he gaped at Hiashi's horrifying scolding look. His eyes looked like two cubes of ice, he felt a sudden mood make the remaining onlookers to scamper back into their rightful rooms. He wished suddenly that he wasn't getting in trouble, at least, not from the father of his backup who was sending him a look that definitely gave him the impression that this man probably wanted to kill him.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't harm you right now." Hiashi's eyes narrowed into icy slits.

"I have _several_ good reasons why you shouldn't harm me." Naruto said very quickly, taking a rather smart move backwards. "One, I know the location of both Hinata Hyuuga _and_ the real Uzumaki Naruto."

This made Hiashi re-open his eyes. This was the kid that successfully mastered the shadow clones technique. He was marveled! The clone fooled his advanced, Byakugan eyes! Amazing!

Hiashi then realized that the man in front of him must be the same man who managed to beat Neji in the chuunin exams. This was the same man that had, unintentionally, made the bonds between his nephew and himself stronger. But Hiashi continued making a stern face while the clone blabbed on about reasons two, three, four and finally five as to why Hiashi shouldn't lay a finger on him. Despite how silently impressed the clan head was, it did nothing to deter him from the fact that Naruto Uzumaki was still an intruder, and obviously the mastermind behind Hinata's disappearance.

"Enough." Hiashi interrupted before the clone could go on about more reasons why nobody should harm him. "What is this talk about you wanting to marry my daughter?"

"She's my backup." Naruto explained smoothly, as if that took care of all questions.

"I'm not familiar with that term." Hiashi said calmly and rather patiently as he folded his arms.

"Oh, it means when we're both ready to get married, that we'll get hitched with _each other_."

"So, technically, you asked for my daughter's hand in marriage and you didn't have the galls to talk to _me_ about it." Hiashi raised his voice yet again, sending the few remaining onlookers scampering away. He saw Seijirou's mother dragging her son back into his room in his peripheral vision.

"Hey, it's _Hinata's_ decision. Why do YOU have a say in who she falls in love with?" Naruto snorted, crossing his own arms. Then he gasps, "W-were YOU the one who ok'ed that puny runt to marry Hinata? That-Seijiro guy?" Naruto pointed his thumb toward the kid that was now sporting a split lip, and drooling down his chin.

Hiashi realized that in this guest's eyes, that yes-Seijirou did get knocked out quite easily. Hiashi himself wasn't happy with how the short battle played out. Especially once he found out that the victor was a clone.

"Seijirou is not-"

"Awwww! You ARE! You are the man behind that Seijirou guy! Did you hear him calling your daughter a coward? He would have been a total awful husband, what were you thinking?" Naruto snapped bitterly. "But, you're right. I should have come waaaay earlier to ask one-on-one if I can have Hinata's hand. So." Naruto clapped his hands together and made a quick gesture of a pleading man, "Can I?"

"Can you what?" Hiashi grit out.

"Can I have Hinata's hand in marriage?" the Naruto clone begged.

"You have some nerve…"

"Why thank you."

"No! No…that was not a compliment." Hiashi hissed, but uncrossed his arms and then bowed toward Naruto. "I leave my daughter into your hands. I… do not know what kind of power you have upon her, but I can see now-especially after that fight with the… 'puny runt' as you called him…that maybe fresh…outlook," Hiashi was just about to say 'blood' but realized how unrealistic that sounded, "is needed in our clan."

The clone didn't know what 'fresh outlook' meant, but smiled anyway as he bent down for a bow as well. When he straightened himself, Hiashi was still bowing, the clone looked confused.

"Your influence will do her some good…I'm realizing now that…Hinata has finally been acting like a prideful ninja…and I'm realizing that you may be behind it. I give you permission to take my daughter's hand…"

Finally a hand snatched up as quick as lightening, and took the clone's jacket in a vice-grip. Naruto was suddenly staring at cold, hard, Hyuuga eyes again.

"But if you dare think that this is an invitation to sully my daughter's name by leaving her, or impregnating her, I'll ensure that you won't be able to walk on those two haughty legs again, am I clear?"

"Oh, crystal." The clone nodded cheerfully.

"Now, where is my daughter?" Hiashi asked, slowly letting go of the clone's jacket.

"They're at Chouji's party. And yes, before you ask, we _were_ invited." Informed the clone.

"Thank you, that will be all." Hiashi said, and raised a fist, but before Naruto could warn him not to-he bopped the clone over his head.

And thus, the most useful clone in Naruto's life poofed out of existence.

* * *

A/N: F-word, this fic is old.

To be continued.


End file.
